Page 64 of Iron Crown

He and Rose had struggled since the twins were born. The pregnancy had been grand. Dairo doted on his young bride, and she seemed to bask in his attention. But after they were born,something had switched. I didn’t know which of them was at fault, or if neither of them was to blame. It was just obvious that the more he held her close, the further she pulled from him.

I couldn’t understand why. I didn’t know how to help him.

His love for her grew after she became the mother of his children. Hers waned, as though she did not have love to spare after she was done with the twins.

“You always have a home here,” was all I said. “I’ll always have a place for you.”

It was all I could say because I knew that I would be in the same boat as him soon.

Common sense would reign when the war was over, and Kira would also likely depart from my side.

“Just like old times,” Dairo said with a sad little laugh that matched my sadness. “You and me.”

“And Shiny,” I added.

“And Ajax,” Dairo said bitterly. “Her husband won’t be leaving her anytime soon.”

“True. But she deserves to be happy.”

“Aye, she does,” Dairo said with a slight yawn. “She’s still a brat, though.”

The unsaid part was thatwedid not deserve the same.

I waited to see if he’d say more, looking at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. Christ, I looked a fright.

“Try not to die, will you?” Dairo said.

“I can’t make promises,” I answered.

“I know you can’t guarantee to live,” Dairo said quietly. “Buttrynot to die.”

I chuckled. My cousin knew me well.

At least that was a little comfort to my loneliness.

Chapter twenty

Why Aren’t You…?

Kira

Ifelt his arms around me in my sleep. His hand ghosted over my waist to cup my breast from behind.

“Shh,” he said, quietly. “Sleep, love.”

“Eoghan,” I tried to get up, but he put an arm around my side and held me to him.

When I stopped struggling, he took his arm away, removing another bit of contact that I craved. Why was he pulling away? Why was he distancing himself from me?

It was so unnatural that it left me cold and frightened.

Something was off in the world around us.

My Eoghan always wanted more. He was insatiable in his need for affection, and in his shameless demand for it. So what held him back now?

I turned around and wrapped my arm around his neck, pressing my breasts to his chest, and looking for that usual, lusty darkness to come over his eyes. But there was no change in him.

“Have I done something wrong?” I finally asked when he didn’t hold me or pull me in close.

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