Page 93 of Inked Athena

“You do,” I blubber.

“I sat in silence for hours, trying to decide if I was a good enough man to let you go if I thought it would be best for you. If I thought you’d be safest that way.”

The question lodges in my throat, but I force it out. “And? Are you?”

Samuil gives me a sad smile. “No. When it comes to you, Nova, I’ve always been a selfish, reckless bastard. Which is why—” He opens the small black box in his hand, revealing a glimmering diamond I can barely look at because I’m too busy staring intohis eyes. “—I’m going to ask you to marry me, Nova. And I’m going to need you to say yes.”

I shiver, but I don’t even feel the cold anymore.

Not with the fire raging inside of me.

“Of course I’ll marry you,” I sob. “Of course I will.”

Laughing, Samuil rises to his feet and pulls me into his arms. He kisses me and I forget all about the cold. We could stay here forever. I never want to leave the circle of his arms.

And the ring between us now means I won’t ever have to.

My lips are wet and trembling when we finally pull apart. Samuil traces his fingers over my face. “Don’t you want to try on your ring?”

I nod and offer him my finger.

He slides it on, and I gasp as the huge rock weighs down my hand. “This is too much.”

Not that I’d ever let him take it back. It’s mine now.

“It’s no less than you deserve.” He holds my hand up to the moonlight, letting the diamond refract starfire across my skin. “Do you like it?”

A laugh bubbles up from deep in my chest, half disbelief and half pure joy. Everything I’ve been holding back—the fear, the loneliness, the desperate hope—comes pouring out in that sound.

“I love it. And I love you.”

“Remember that,krasavitsa. Remember that whenever I’m being a—what was it you called me—a ‘stubborn asshole’?”

“Sounds about right.”

He yanks me hard against his chest, one hand splayed possessively across my lower back. “And now, you’re stuck with me for life.”

“Is that a threat, Mr. Litvinov?” I arch an eyebrow, going for sass even as my heart threatens to explode.

“No. A promise.” His voice drops to that dangerous register that makes my knees weak. “One I intend to keep.”

I press my lips to the column of his throat, tasting his pulse. “Then let me make a promise of my own.” I pull back just enough to meet his eyes. “Your world is chaos and danger and darkness. But I promise to bring you peace whenever I can. To be the calm in your storm.”

He studies me for a long moment, this man who could break me in half but treats me like I’m made of glass. This man who’s done unspeakable things but touches me like a prayer.

Then he claims my mouth in a kiss that tastes like forever.

Without breaking away, he scoops me into his arms. I wrap myself around him, clinging tight as he carries me down the narrow stairs to our bedroom.

To our bed.

To our future.

Back in our bedroom, he lays me on our bed with reverence. The ring on my finger winks in the candlelight, each sparkle a reminder that this is real. This is happening.

Holy shit, I’m engaged.

Samuil hovers above me, his eyes molten with need. Then he bends in half to claim my mouth. His kiss starts gentle but quickly turns savage, matching the desperate rhythm of my heart.

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