Page 51 of Aria's Desire

“There’s a space for you. There’s always been a space just for you,” she rasped. “I wanted you to meet me. I need you to see me… ”

“Figure out what you want.”

He hadn’t dared hope she meant them the way he wanted her to, but standing there, he realized that had been his own fear clouding his mind.

He didn’t need to figure out what he wanted. He knew.

He wanted Aria.

He accused her of being hard to read, of not sharing her thoughts and feelings, but he had not done any different. Sin understood, finally. Standing there, listening to her words echo in his ears, he understood that actions alone were not enough for her. No, she needed his words, needed to know his heart.

As she said, challenge accepted.

Chapter 27

Aria stayed poised after she slammed Hampha to the ground, ready for her to take a swing or jump to her feet to continue the fight. Instead, it was like a switch had been flipped. The fearsome woman, laid flat on her back on the smoothed stone, her face already beginning to darken with bruises, broke into a grin then laughed delightedly. The people around them erupted into cheers. Realizing the fight was over, Aria relaxed and straightened then held out a hand to help Hampha up, hiding her surprise when she took it without hesitation.

As soon as she was on her feet, Hampha pulled her into a tight hug, squeezing the breath out of her in a grunt, then released her to face the onlookers, keeping a hand on Aria’s shoulder. “My sister!”

Another round of cheers and then the tone changed to something rowdier interspersed with catcalls as the people standing nearest to Rellik shoved him into the circle of spectators.

Hampha, still clasping her shoulder, called out, “We have seen how she fights to claim Rellik Li’Aehri. Now, let us see if he accepts her claim!”

Aria swallowed, her gaze on Rellik as Hampha left to join those watching, arousal, nervousness, and more than a little apprehension firing through her. When she’d agreed to this, she’d deliberately kept herself from thinking on it too hard. Not difficult considering every ounce of her focus had been on them bathing her. After, she’d had the fight with Hampha to distract her.

Now, though, anxiety slithered through her. It wasn’t knowing the first time she’d feel Rellik’s touch would be in front of an audience, though that damn sure wasn’t how she imagined it happening.

It was fear he was only doing this to appease his people.

She’d wanted him for so long she’d forgotten what it felt like to not live with the constant ache of it. Even the heavy gazes of those around them weren’t enough to kill the need already heating her blood. Her pulse was throbbing in her neck, her nipples were hard points against the linen wrapped around her chest, and her pussy was slick. It was like every ounce of hunger she’d suppressed for him rose up all at once until she felt like she was drowning in it.

But what if he didn’t feel the same?

She kept her gaze glued to him as he approached, searching his expression in the darkening light for the slightest hint of discomfort. Her own desire and his people’s opinions be damned. If she found even a flicker of reluctance, she’d call this off.

She wouldn’t—couldn’t—let this happen if he felt obligated or forced, wouldn’t be able to stomach knowing he only touched her because he believed he had to. She’d be no better than the people who’d hurt him in his past.

She needn't have worried.

There wasn’t even a flicker of hesitation in his expression.

No, he looked… predatory. Hungry.

Her heart slammed against her chest then set to hammering as butterflies erupted in her stomach, the anxiety and fear melting away under the heat in his fiery eyes.

Instead of stopping when he got close, Rellik wrapped his arms around her, almost lifting her off her feet, and bent to nuzzle his face against her neck.

His voice was a rough growl, sending goosebumps down her spine, as he demanded, “Tell me you want this, Aria. Tell me you’re not doing this for them. Tell me you meant it.”

That last was a plea, a ragged whisper, and it broke something inside her.

She knew what he was asking. Had she meant it when she said she loved him.

Rellik went still against her, the tension in his body palpable. The air between them became charged, electrified. Breathless.

She knew, instinctively, that this moment would change things between them, irrevocably. How, depended entirely on her answer.

She could keep running. Or she could stop. She could own what she’d said, admit she was in love with him and Sin, talk with her mates, and see what happened.

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