Page 30 of Empire of Death
When I walked into my room at the inn, he was seated in the armchair by the fireplace. The windows were open, so the sea breeze wafted through with a cool touch. Like he lived there, he was already prepared for bed, sitting in only his shorts, a monster of a man just waiting for me in the dark.
I’d always been logical to a fault, analyzing the facts of situations rather than feeling the emotions associated with them. So it made no sense that I continued this dead-end relationship with no hope in sight. That I let myself fall further and further into the grave I’d dug for myself. But when I looked at him…my heart was lost.
Utterly fucking lost.
I kicked off my boots and dropped the rest of my clothes before I moved to the armchair and straddled his hips. I let my body slide into his, let my tits press into his chest as my arm circled his neck.
His big hands slid over my ass before they gave my cheeks a hard squeeze, squeezing me the way every woman wanted to be squeezed by a man like this. One hand moved into my hair andpulled it back from my face as he took a hard look at me. “You’re sad or stressed. I’m not sure which.”
“Something my brother said.”
His hands stiffened noticeably in my hair before he brushed the strands from my face. “And what did he say?” he asked in his deep voice.
“Nothing specific. Just seems like… I don’t know.”
“Seems like what,Xivin?”
“Like…” I wasn’t entirely sure. “Like he suspects us or something.”
He continued to watch me.
“But I don’t know how he’d possibly arrive at that conclusion.”
He held his silence.
“I’ve never said anything to make him believe that, so perhaps I’m just misinterpreting his curiosity.”
“Would you ever tell him?”
“No.” He would never understand. No one would. “This is just for us.” I pulled myself in close then rested my forehead against his, feeling his warm skin like he was real, feeling his chest draw breath like my touch made him weak, the way his made me strong.
“Tonight is our last night together for a while.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because you’ll be on a ship with other sailors, without a moment to yourself. In a bunk far too small for someone like me.”
“Does that mean you won’t be there at all?”
“No, I’ll always be there when you need me.” He lifted himself effortlessly from the chair, carrying my weight like I was a pillow rather than a muscular woman who could crack walnuts between her powerful thighs.
He carried me to bed and laid me down, his body moving over mine like every other night.
“We don’t have to do it this way every time.” My hands palmed his chest as I felt him smother me with his manliness. He rarely took me from behind, didn’t throw me around or smack my ass. Didn’t let me be on top or do things for him that other men couldn’t possibly say no to.
“Is there another position you prefer?” he asked as he started to bend me into place.
“I just feel like you’re always doing all the work.”
“I like doing all the work,” he said as he prepared to enter me. He guided himself inside me and sank, a slow and slick descent, making my breath come out as a quiet gasp like I’d never taken him before, like this was our first night together. “It’s an honor to make love to you,Xivin.”
I don’t like this.Zehemoth stood before me on the beach, his head bowed so our eyes were somewhat level.
“It’ll be fine.”
I will not let my sister and queen sail unprotected with pirates.Little plumes of smoke came out of his nostrils like the fire in his belly was starting to burn white-hot.
“I’m not your queen, Zehemoth.”
