Page 122 of Warlords, Witches & Wolves

She cupped his cheek. “That’s very noble.”

“Perhaps now it is considered so.” He held her hand in place and leaned into it. “Shuree, we leave tomorrow. I don’t want to go without telling you how I feel.”

Her heart skipped a beat and she waited for him to continue.

“You captured my attention the moment you spared my brother and have been in my thoughts ever since. The more I’ve grown to know you, the more my admiration for you has increased. You are the strongest woman I have ever known.”

The intensity of his gaze made it impossible to look away.

“When you were stabbed I realised how much I’ve come to love you, and the idea of leaving you breaks my heart.”

She couldn’t resist his vulnerability. She kissed his lips, softly, briefly, absolutely certain about what she wanted. “You treated me like your equal from the moment we met. Your respect for me gave me strength and hope.” She smiled at him. “I hate the idea of the man I love leaving.” She had already broken so many conventions being a warrior and a khan. Now she would break one more. She inhaled deeply, wanting to remember this moment. “I find myself in need of a Tribal Father, a husband, and a partner. Would you consider the role?”

His jaw dropped and then he grinned. “I would. I will. Yes.” He picked her up and swung her around and then kissed her deeply. She clung to him, giddy. When he set her down, he held her close and then he chuckled.

“What’s so funny?”

“You do realise, you’ll have to negotiate our betrothal with my father?”

She groaned and glanced over his shoulder at the camp. Ogodai watched them, eyebrows raised. How much of her harvest would she have to surrender? She smiled. It didn’t matter. “You’re worth it.”

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