Page 98 of Sold to the Devil
He waves his hand, pointing at the door, probably thinking I'm the one who's just activated Aelys's shapeshifting side. Her feline eyes lock with mine, she pivots, heading for the room's double doors. I lay the whip down, keeping my eyes on her before following her and opening the door so we can leave.
My heart races as we walk through the ground floor corridors that lead to the grand staircase. I admire her with pride as her feline body climbs the steps and I follow her, unable to take my eyes off her.
A lioness. That suits her pretty well.
I push open the door to our suite and let her in before following her, locking it behind us as she shifts back into human form, dressed like any shapeshifter when they transform.
“I’m so sorry, angel,” I mumble, ashamed that I had to torture her.
“It’s okay,” she replies in asmall voice.
I shake my head frantically and kneel in front of her, lifting my head to look at her with tear-filled eyes. Hers widen in shock, her lips part slightly.
Getting down on my knees is nothing compared to what I would be willing to do for her.
“No, it's not. I tortured you, damn it. I didn't mean to…” My voice breaks and I clear my throat, my eyes fixed on hers. “Will you forgive me?”
She pulls herself together, a small smile playing on her lips. She joins me on her knees, her small hands cupping my face, her thumbs tenderly caressing my skin. I lean into her touch but force myself to keep my eyes open, not wanting to take them away from hers.
“There’s nothing to forgive you for, darling,” she says softly. “You had no choice. I’m not angry with you, I don’t hate you. I love you, Mattheo.”
I close my eyes and let out a shaky sigh of relief. I feel her lips press against mine and I gently kiss her back. We haven't kissed since her miscarriage, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss it. The kiss is short but passionate, we pour all our love into it. She rests her forehead against mine and sighs.
“I want Law and O'Connor dead, Matt.”
The harshness of her tone surprises me. I've never heard her voice so cold, so hateful. I can feel the anger emanating from her body, and I know she's pushing her sadness aside to let her rage take over. I nod quickly, letting her know she'll get what she wants.
I would give her anything she asks for.
“I promise you, my angel, they will soon lay dead at your feet,” I vow.
CHAPTER 37
Aelys
Several weeks have passed since our disastrous wedding and my miscarriage. I discovered that the phantom pain of broken bones was nothing more than my shapeshifting side finally being activated. The first transformations were painful, then they became painless. I can now change into my animal form as a lioness without feeling any aftereffects, much to my husband'spride and joy.
I'm also past the grieving phase off our child and am now determined to make Rick Law pay for what he put me through during his interrogation. It took me a long time to accept that there was nothing I could have done to protect my baby that day and that I was not at fault.
It was after this realization that the pain turned to rage. I was going to avenge our child by killing Law and bringing O'Connor's head to the Master.
Mattheo was most understanding and patient, helping me tremendously from start to finish. Even today, he supports me by training me tirelessly to be able to fight with my hands and in my animal form.
It took me a while to accept his touch again without flinching, but I did it, determined not to push away the man I love and who also experienced loss.
I'm jolted out of my thoughts when a sharp pain in my ribs makes me gasp and stumble. My hands press against the painful area, and I glare at my husband. His face is blank, completely absorbed in his role as a teacher. His fists are in front of his face, his posture suggesting he's about to attack again.
“You're not focused. Again,” he spits.
Just as I thought, he lunges at me, ready to throw another punch but aiming for my face this time. I dodge and kick him in the leg. His knee buckles, but he quickly stabilizes, narrowly avoiding hitting the ground. I smile, proud of myself, but it makes me lose focus, and within seconds, I find myself with my back against his chest, his arms around my body, pinning my arms. I try to escape his grip, but he's too strong.
I'm starting to regret telling him not to pull back.
“You need to focus, darling,” he whispers in my ear, sending shivers down my spine.
My breath catches when one of his hands rests on my stomach. We haven't been intimate since the miscarriage, I'm not ready yet, so his touches remain affectionate, not lustful. However, my body still responds to his touch. It's not my body that's refusing to have sex with him; it's my mind. I'm far too afraid of getting pregnant again so soon after my miscarriage and losing another baby.
Mattheo understands and once again lets me heal at my own pace, using only touches like this to distract me during our training sessions. He finally releases me and steps back. I turn to look at him, seeing the smug smile on his handsome face.
