Page 118 of Thorns of Love
“Except we do,” he rasped, tension vibrating through every inch of him.
I turned him around and started drying the front side of him, starting at his biceps.
“No, you don’t.Theydo,” I growled softly, focusing on the task at hand. “Shedid.”
She, being his Aunt Jane.
Once we were both dried, I discarded my towel, took his hand, and led him into our bedroom. We both crawled under the covers naked. My husband insisted we sleep naked. He said he needed my skin and my pussy easily accessible.
“You know, once the babies are here, we won’t be able to sleep naked,” I remarked amused.
His hand was already trailing my belly, his fingers tracing the scar left behind by Adrian. His skin against mine, our bodies pressed together and my ear over his heart, I had never felt warmer. Even being in Russia, in the middle of the winter nonetheless.
“I’ll insist on getting you naked every chance we have.” Amusement colored his voice but also a worry.
Over the last month, we’d fallen into a routine. We’d eat breakfast together, then he usually had some work to do. If there was anything I could help with, he’d let me. If there wasn’t, I’d work on helping Isla and her friends with their endeavors.
And those were quite… eventful. But I was intent on keeping my word to my sister-in-law. I’d always be there for her. No matter what she needed. I just didn’t realize at the time, my vow would apply to her little circle of friends as well.
“You’re still worried,” I noted, as his fingers traced circles over my lower belly. Raising my head off his chest so I could look at his face, I took his hand and stilled it. “Talk to me, love.”
The corner of his lips lifted and he pressed his palm against my stomach.
“She’s the second woman I killed.” The unspoken words ‘but not the last’ spun their dark web through the air. Sofia Volkov would be the last. They hadn’t been able to find her, but they would. I had no doubt about it. “At least with the first one, it was quick. This–”
The anguish in his voice was unmistakable and I wished I could take his pain away. He knew the torture was necessary to get any information we could to get an advantage over Sofia Volkov. She was the last threat to our family. To any family in the underworld, really.
I cupped his face and brought it close to mine. “Isla’s mother was broken. We don’t know what she went through, but she was dead long before your father brought her home. You probably ended her suffering and saved your sister’s life.”
It was hard to penetrate the guilt. Words didn’t erase it, but maybe with time he’d see that it was for the best.
“Sofia Volkov is a threat. She supports child trafficking. Human trafficking. She partnered with the man who made my brother’s life hell. So whatever she gets, she has had it coming for a long time.”
“And your aunt,” I started, sighing heavily. “Well, she made her choice. She wanted you dead.Usdead. Even with Nikita and Adrian gone, she would have kept coming back. I heard what she said. She was crazy, Illias. You’re smart enough to have recognized it. Her hate blinded her and she passed that on to her son and eventually Adrian.”
His shoulders stiffened at the mention of Adrian. It was still a sore subject, but I refused to let that ghost linger between us. I pressed my lips against his chest, inhaling his scent deep into my lungs. My heart did that fluttery thing and my stomach somersaulted. No matter how many times he’d have me, I’d never tire of him.
“It’s you, Illias,” I murmured against his skin, taking his nipple and biting it. Hard. Just the way he seemed to love to bite mine. I grinned, noting his body’s jolt, so I licked it, easing the sting.
“It’s always been you,” I murmured. “The way I loved Adrian is completely different from the way I love you.” I lifted my head and our gazes met. “He was something between a brother and…” I scrunched my brows, looking for the right word. “ –a brother and a first crush. But you, my husband,youare the man who saved my life, stole my heart, and gave me purpose. You gaveus a future.”
I gasped when in one swift move Illias flipped us over, his body on top of mine.
“I stole your heart?” he growled.
I nodded. “Either that or I have given it unknowingly.”
“Do you want it back?”
Our breaths filled the silence. Our gazes caught and time lagged. Ten lifetimes wouldn’t tire me of this man. His body hovered over mine. His heat seeped into my bones. Russia in the winter wasn’t bad after all. At least not when I was with my husband. He kept my body, heart, and soul warm.
“No. My heart’s the safest with you.”
Without warning, he thrust inside me and my body welcomed his intrusion. “That’s the right fucking answer,” he growled, keeping his body still while his cock grew bigger and harder inside me. It made every cell of my body quiver with anticipation.
“I aim to please,” I murmured.
He nuzzled against my hair, inhaling me in. “Fuck, I love your scent. I can’t think of roses without getting hard anymore. Just smelling them and I’m ready to cum.”
