Page 55 of The Withering Dawn
She grew tense, her walls choking my cock so thoroughly that my own pinnacle was soon to follow. It tore at my sturdy armor like a storm, ripping every bit of my control to shreds until my toes were curling and I was spilling my thick seed inside her. My skin was slick with sweat. My heart was a wild animal in my chest clawing to be free of its cage. I let out a deep and throaty groan against Aeris’s neck, gripping a handful of her crimson locks. Wave after wave of dizzying pleasure racked my body and hers until finally, I felt her going boneless under my weight.
I kept myself braced on my elbows, trying not to crush her as my cock relaxed, spent and sated. Aeris was motionless, her hands barely holding onto me now. Lifting my head, I looked at her glistening face. The faint sheen of sweat made her features glow and streams of tears still stained her rosy cheeks, but her expression was content. Tired. Her lids were heavy and her mouth slightly agape so she could catch her breath.
I wiped my thumbs under her eyes before kissing her damp cheek.
“Your tears are beautiful,” I whispered. “Tell me why you weep.”
She sniveled, turning into my lips. “I love you,” she muttered.
I drew back, part of me wondering if I’d imagined her saying it, but her gaze pinned mine, filled with certainty.
“Why?” I asked stupidly.
“Because I was never a monster to you. You saw a woman. You’ve always seen a woman. I am grateful for that. No one has ever known me at all. Not like you have. No one has even tried.”
She was so sure of herself and I envied that. I had not been sure of myself for years.
I took a moment to study her face, making damn sure she was real before I pressed my lips to hers once more.
“I am a madman I think,” I said against her mouth. “I wish you had fled that day. I wish you’d have gone far away, somewhere where no man could ever touch you. Men are dangerous, me included.” Iopened my eyes, looking deep into hers. “But you didn’t leave and now I don’t think I’ll ever let you. If you stay by my side, I will give my last breath, my last drop of blood, and my last ounce of sanity to protect you. I promise you that, Aeris.”
Tears gathered in her eyes again, but these were even more beautiful than the last. She lifted her hand, cupping my cheek.
“I would give all that and more to protect you, Nazario. I knew I would when I chose to climb onto your ship with the open ocean and my freedom at my back.” She quieted for a beat, licking her kiss-swollen lips. “In the morning, let me come with you. Let me be there when you kill him.”
No.
“We will see about that when the sun rises. For now, sleep.”
I could tell her eyes were heavy. She was fatigued and, against all reason, she felt safe enough to sleep beside me again. I kissed her cheek, still tasting the salty tears on her skin, and rolled us onto our sides, hugging her body to my chest. She fit so perfectly as if she was made to curl into my arms.
And I would see to it that she always slept that well beside me.
There was no discussion to be had.
When the sun started to crown and I saw the first hints of its orange light coming through the window, I carefully rolled off the bed and left Aeris sleeping soundly beneath the blankets. She was a heavy sleeper that morning and I took some pride in knowing that I probably had something to do with that. She did not even flinch when I put on my pants and boots, either. I took everything else in hand and left my quarters to finish getting dressed outside, hoping she would not wake.
Aleksi and Nikolas were standing just outside the door. Nikolas was spinning a knife on its tip on the railing. Aleksi looked outwardly relaxed, thumbs hanging on his thick leather belts, but if I knew the man, his thoughts were anything but relaxed.
He took a deep breath when he saw me, raising his brows as if to ask if I was ready. I wasn’t fully dressed, but I knew the sort of “ready” he was referring to.
Was I ready to finally drive a knife into Antonio’s deserving neck?
I was more than ready.
I finished putting on the rest of my garb and thenturned to Nikolas.
“Don’t wake her,” I said. “She might be angry I am doing this without her.”
Nikolas nodded, sliding his knife into his boot.
“Angry?” Aleksi asked.
“She wants to be there when we kill him.”
He nodded but said nothing else about it. Once I had my coat on, we descended into one of the boats and started to head for shore. The sun was cresting over the horizon and I knew, if Kristoff had done what we asked, that we were heading toward the end of a very long and grueling road. Antonio would be there for his treasure and instead he would get us. His boys. The products of his creation come to take him apart for all that he’d done to us and those after us.
When we arrived at the shore, Cathal was waiting on the beach. He waded into the water to help pull the boat onto the sand, but the usual carefree look he had on his face had been replaced by distracted tension. Between the three of us, there was a lot of silence. I knew we were all thinking the same thing, that this was the day. The day we could be rid of the monster for good. Perhaps not the memory of him, but his body would be wiped from the world and that was going to do plenty of people a favor.
