Page 28 of A Dark Infinity

“I’m not letting him see you naked,” Ethan growls.

“That’s not what I meant,” I say, pulling my hand away from him. “He can look at my hand tomorrow. I want to sleep, Ethan.”

Cupping my face, he moves closer until our noses touch. “I don’t think I’ll ever grow tired of hearing you say my name,” he smirks.

I make myself comfortable while he shuts off the lights, but unlike earlier, he doesn’t bother to close or lock the door. When he notices me staring, he arches an eyebrow. “You’ve learned your lesson about trying to fly away, haven’t you, Little Bird?”

Turning to my side, I smile as he follows, enveloping me in his strong arms. Yes, I’ve definitely learned my lesson.

12

Ethan

IwatchLarkasshe sits across from me at the breakfast table, wearing my t-shirt and leggings, looking damn sexy. “So what happens now?” she asks, taking another bite of her buttered toast.

Fuck, this is the part I’m not keen on. But it’s time. Since I’m never letting her go, there’s only one way this can go; it’s time for her to know the truth about my family—about the Drákon.

“Lark, there’s something you gotta know,” I start, my tone serious as I lock eyes with her. “My family, the Drákon, we’re not your typical or average family.” Oh fuck me, I sound wooden and ridiculous.

“Okay,” she says, dragging out the word. “Are you all richy rich?”

I laugh. “Yes,” I say. “At least those allowed a variation of the Drákon name.”

Her brows furrow in confusion. “Meaning?”

Sighing, I run a hand down my face. “We’re… umm… we operate like a secret society, kind of like the Mafia. We follow our leader, Nikolaos, aka the Ruthless. His word is law, and we do whatever he says.”

Lark’s eyes widen a bit, a hint of unease in them. “How big is your family?” she asks, her voice filled with curiosity. Funnily enough, I don’t detect any fear. Hmm.

I take a moment to think before responding. “We don’t even know the full extent ourselves,” I admit, keeping it vague. “But we’re everywhere, with connections in every part of the world.”

Chewing slowly, she drums her fingers on the table, processing what I’ve told her. “Are there other families like yours?” she asks, sounding a bit worried now.

I nod, keeping it simple. “Yeah, there are two others,” I confirm, holding back the other family’s names for now. “But we were the first, the original.”

As the weight of my words sinks in, I can see Lark getting more anxious. But there’s also a spark of curiosity in her eyes, like she wants to dig deeper into this secret world she’s stumbled into. This is just the beginning of her journey into the shady dealings of the Drákon Legacy, and I’ve gotta be strategic about how much I reveal.

“Why are you telling me this now?” she asks, like she’s privy to my thoughts.

I take her hand in mine, squeezing gently. “Because you’re mine, Little Bird. One day you’re going to be my wife, and—”

“Whoa, whoa. Slow down,” she almost screeches as she jumps out of her chair. “What the fuck, Ethan?”

I shrug. “I told you that you’re mine. What did you think that meant?”

As she paces back and forth, I mentally prepare myself to catch her if she tries to run. “So, what’s my role in all of this?”

“Back in the days, the wives had to be tested before claiming their spot. But I’m not important enough for that,” I explain.

She arches an eyebrow. “You’re not important in your family?” I chuckle, loving how angry she sounds as she repeats the words to me.

“It’s not like that,” I explain, reaching for her. She allows me to take her hand and pull her into my lap. “Nikolaos is the one in charge, and he decides our roles. Trust me, being in the immediate circle isn’t necessarily an attractive thing. I love my spot. It allows me to help when needed, but also to live my own life free of my Leader’s constant involvement.”

Taking a deep, shuddering breath, she asks, “Will I ever meet him?”

I immediately shake my head. “No. I’ll file the necessary paperwork with the Guardian to claim you as mine, and that’ll be that. But…” I trail off, unsure of how to tell her that if I get called upon, she will, too.

“But?” she prompts.

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