Page 90 of Shadows of Ruin

I nodded, not trusting my voice in the moment.

He dropped back, letting his hand fall from my neck, but remained kneeling in front of me. The sight of him between my legs, staring at me as if I was the only thing that mattered, did something to my soul. The pull between us strengthened, solidifying. His messy hair made me smile, and I reached for a strand.

I twisted it around my finger, and before I could pull away, Kade took my hand and kissed my palm. “If my father is sneaking around at night, it’s not safe for you to be alone.”

“It feels like it's not safe for me anywhere anymore.”

Kade rose, his shadows dancing at his feet while he pulled me up to stand as well. “Stay here tonight.” Brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “Stay with me.”

I knew I should say no, but my heart screamed at me to say yes. Just being near him made me feel alive. His shadows made me feel safe. He just made me feel.

I tilted my chin up toward him. “Using fear to get me into bed with you?”

His lips curved into a heart-wrenchingly beautiful smile. One I don’t think I’d seen since Brookmere. He leaned down, his lips almost touching mine as a shiver ran over me.

“I don’t think I need any tricks to get you into my bed, Little Rebel.”

I started to pull away to try for a smart comment back, but he closed the space between us, capturing my mouth. He reached for my hair, his hand weaving into it as he moaned against my lips.

“I miss your taste. Every damn day,” he murmured between kisses.

I reached my arms around his neck, deepening the kiss as I ran my tongue over his.Fates. I’d forgotten how perfect, how incredible his kisses were. My body melted into his, and he leaned down, lifting me by my thighs and wrapping my legs around his waist. He turned, falling back on his bed with me still attached to him, never breaking our kiss.

Groaning into his mouth, I didn’t care how needy I sounded as I rubbed against him.

He chuckled. “If we’re fleeing the castle, we need to sleep.”

“We can sleep after,” I whimpered against his lips.

“Little Rebel, when I have you again, it won’t be rushed.” He shifted his weight and then flipped me to my back. “It won't be used as a way to get you to sleep.” He kissed my jaw, then down my neck as his hand trailed up my thigh, brushing over that sensitive spot where I craved his touch. “It won’t be when I know you’ll be riding hours on horseback and can’t be sore from how long I spend inside of you.” He buried his head in my neck, letting out a moan of his own. “It will be when I can linger on every sweet, delicious part of you.”

Then he surprised me by sighing heavily, falling back and tugging me toward his chest.

“I don’t like this responsible version of you,” I huffed. “You only want me rested because our world is apparently riding on you keeping me alive right now.”

He pulled the covers over my lower body before layingback. Kade trailed his fingers gently over my shoulder in a soothing motion. “I’d destroy this world or the next to keep you alive, Princess, prophecy or not. No Fae or creature would be safe from my wrath should they touch one strand on your head. Your life and your heart are mine.”

Chapter 26

Kade

Lana’s body remained curled against me as a knock on the door sounded for the third time.

I didn’t want to move, but I knew if someone persisted to this degree, it was on behalf of only one person.

The king.

I brushed the rose-gold hair away from Lana’s neck and kissed her shoulder. Just because I fucking could.

Untangling myself from this woman might go down as the worst feeling in either kingdom. All I wanted to do was forget our troubles and be with her. Something shifted in her last night. She’d saved me from whatever the hell my father did to unleash my monster.

She always saved me.

Fates, I loved her. Looking at her one last time, I frowned, swearing she glowed lying there. Something ached within my chest, creating an indescribable drive to consume her. To make sure she knew she was mine. The swelling compulsion threatened to overpower me, but I forcefully shook it off. We’d have time.

I’d make sure of it.

I whipped open my bedroom door and moved to the main entryway of my chambers, throwing open the black doors.

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