Page 110 of Inked Athena

The emotions of the day crash over me like a wave, and tears spill down my cheeks. Sam kisses them away, one by one, his gray eyes rippling with love.

“A family,” he breathes between kisses. “A future.”

I wrap my arms around his broad shoulders, pulling him closer. In this moment, wrapped in his strength and warmth, I’ve never felt safer or more cherished.

“I love you,” I whisper, and his answering kiss tastes like promises kept.

When he moves into me, it doesn’t feel like sex. It’s too soft and tender and seamless for that. It’s just the beautiful friction of his skin on mine, and with the fire chuckling happily in the corner, I’m bathed in warmth from it and him alike.

He kisses me as he fucks me, and he holds me all the while. I come fast and then I just stay there, hovering on the edge between one orgasm and the next.

“Come with me,” I beg Sam. As I do, I lock my heels behind the small of his back so he has no choice but to empty himself inside of me. There’s only the briefest instance of panic on his face before he’s laughing as he explodes.

I feel like we’re sharing one breath when he kisses me. When he holds me. When he stays nestled inside me and we fall together onto the pillows, laughing again for no reason at all.

I’m not sure how long we lie there. I’m still floating in that hazy space between dreams and reality when the mattress shifts. Sam’s warmth disappears from behind me, and the loss draws me partially awake. Through heavy lids, I watch him pad to the window seat where he left his phone.

The castle’s stones glow in the moonlight streaming through the curtain gap, casting strange shadows across Sam’s bare chest. His face illuminates in the blue glow of his screen, and for a heartbeat, I glimpse the ruthless Bratva boss beneath my gentle giant.

Ice crystallizes in his eyes. That familiar muscle ticks in his jaw. His shoulders bunch with predatory tension.

Then his gaze finds me in our bed, and the frost melts away. The twinkle in his eye reignites.

He sets the phone aside and rejoins me. The mattress dips as he slides under the covers. His arms cage me against his chest, one broad palm cupped possessively over my stomach where our child grows. His breath fans warm against my neck, and despitethat flash of darkness I just witnessed, I’ve never felt more protected.

“Sleep, Nova,” he murmurs, pressing a kiss behind my ear. “All is well.”

I should ask what message disturbed his peace. I should worry about what new threat lurks on the horizon.

But right now, wrapped in Sam’s strength, feeling our baby flutter beneath his palm, I choose to focus on this moment of perfect contentment.

Tomorrow will bring what it brings. Tonight, I let myself drift away in my fierce protector’s embrace, choosing to believe that whatever storms gather, Sam will shelter us from the rain.

38

SAMUIL

The sound of Nova’s laughter drifts across the library, every bit as warm as the sunbeams slanting through the stained glass. She’s curled up with Hope on the leather sofa, both of them pouring over a pile of books while discussing their plans for some animal sanctuary they plan on building out by the sheep pens.

Their enthusiasm makes the musty old shelves and creaky floorboards feel more like home than any of my penthouses ever did.

Everyone else has caught the same peaceful vibe. Rufus and Ruby are sprawled at Nova’s feet like furry throw rugs, with all the puppies scattered between them. Through the window, I spot Serena and Mrs. Morris mapping out the spring gardens, their gestures animated as they debate the merits of various vegetable placements.

My security team’s settled in, too. Viktor is sprawled at one door, Mikhail at another. Myles has been in and out all morning,whistling everywhere he goes like one of Snow White’s fucking dwarves.

It’s a rare sight.

It should probably set off warning bells.

Instead, I find myself memorizing the moment. This implausible snapshot of contentment.

The way Nova’s hair catches the light. Her free hand absently stroking her growing belly. How Hope teases her about naming all the future sanctuary animals after romance novel heroes, and the way Nova shamelessly says, “Yes, as a matter of fact, I am.”

This is what I’ve been fighting for without even knowing it. A fortress not built on fear, but filled with life and?—

“Samuil.”

Myles appears in the doorway. My chest tightens before he even opens his mouth.

---