Page 158 of The Delta's Rogue
I press myself harder against him. “Why didn’t you say something sooner?” I mumble into his shirt.
“I was going to, but I didn’t want to interrupt you.”
I lift my chin and stare at him with a raised brow. “You could have stopped me.”
He shrugs, and his lips twitch into a half-smile. “You just kept talking.”
I roll my eyes, and his smile grows into a laugh.
He raises a hand to stroke my hair and cup my cheek. “You had a lot to say, and I could tell you needed to say it all. I wanted you to say it all.” His thumb swipes at my tears as his laughter fades and his expression turns sincere. “I’m sorry I freaked out on you and pushed you away. I’m sorry I made you think for even one second that I didn’t want you.”
“I’m sorry I never told you the truth.”
I glance at his shirt, inspecting the words on it. My fingers trace over them, a laugh teasing at my lips as I brush over the crown above the S in “Sebastian”. My touch lingers on the heart dotting the I, and I shake my head as I peer up at him again.
“You know, that isn’t how it works, right? Our titles as royals aren’t the same as in a regular pack. You’ll be King Sebastian, not Luna Sebastian.”
He tilts his head to the side. “The luna takes care of the alpha so the alpha can take care of the pack. Isn’t that what you just asked me to do?”
His other hand joins his first on my face, both framing my cheeks with their possessive gentleness. He holds me in place, ensuring I don’t turn away from him or lower my gaze, but it’s unnecessary. He’s held my attention captive for most of my life.
“I don’t relish the idea of being king. I’m terrified of the temptation that comes along with that degree of power.” His grip on my cheeks tightens. “I don’t yet know what level of involvement I want to have with that side of things, but I know I want to be with you. I want to be with you now, and I want to be with you always. I want to do everything youdescribed: support you, protect you, care for you. I want to be your soft place to land and your strength. I will bear every burden for you when it becomes too overwhelming. And I will always—always—love you with everything I am.Te lo prometo, cariño.”
With each promise, my heart swells until it’s fit to burst. His love fills my soul like the stars fill the night sky. It’s endless and immeasurable, and all of it is for me.
“Sebastián…” I cover his hands with mine and lower them between us. My full heart pounds against my ribs, and I lean into him, but I stop before I get too close, my chin ducking to my chest. “I…”
“What do you need?” His voice is as soft as the twinkling stardust in my soul. “Whatever you need from me, it’s yours. I’m yours.”
The hesitation remains even with his reassurances, and I tremble with the uncertainty and the force of my racing heart. I’m filled with his love, yes, but there is this ugly, terrifying force inside me that’s preventing me from being true to my desires. It wraps itself around my will and yanks it away from me with the intensity of a tidal wave, and I’m defenseless against it.
“You are safe, Sarina.” He folds my hands into his massive grip and scoots towards me. “It’s just me. Your Sebby. Your mate.” He lifts my chin with one hand, drawing my gaze to him once again. “Your king.”
My king.
His words—his acceptance of his future title—is the confirmation I need.
I close the gap between us and press my lips to his, even as the monstrous thing inside me attempts to stop me. It rages and pulses and reminds me that I’m his toy, his possession, and not the one in charge.
I shove it aside, though, focusing instead on the way Sebastian’s hands circle my waist with an unmatched gentleness, holding me like I’m a precious, important jewel in his life. My arms drape around his neck, and his lips follow my lead.
There is restraint in his movements as he allows me to guide our kiss, but there is also passion and love. With each parting and rejoining of our lips, a link on the chain created by Amara’s manipulation loosens and falls away, melting into sheer nothingness.
This kiss is like none of our previous ones. Those were all the result of built-up tensions and the avoidance of confessing our true feelings to each other. This one is hesitant andinnocent. It’s a kiss that will form the foundation of our path forward, as we rebuild our trust in each other and find the new dynamic of our relationship.
It’s short and sweet, but it’s perfect.
The remaining links on my mental chain weigh me down again, rattling and clanking and reminding me of my place. I lean away from him and lower my chin in submission, bracing myself for a reprimand or a punishment.
Sebastian’s expression tightens at my deference to him, but he says nothing. Instead, he grabs the slim black box. “I wanted you to see this.”
“What is it?”
He places his hands underneath it and holds it out for me. “Open it.”
I lift the lid from the box with shaky hands. Inside, nestled in plush and decadent black velvet, is a stunning gold choker. A large teardrop ruby dangles from the center, bordered by diamonds, and the band is made of square rubies and round diamonds that wrap all the way to the clasps at each end, where there is a chain long enough to extend down the length of my spine.
I gasp and set the lid on the mattress, my eyes never leaving the opulent piece of jewelry. “I thought you were improvising when you told Amara about the collar you had at home for me.”
