Page 88 of Brighter Than Gold

“I’m sorry if I ever gave you that impression, Reyah. I know I didn’t handle things very well yesterday, but that doesn’t change my dedication to you or my love for this child.” She smiled as though she didn’t really believe me. “Callan put some things into perspective for me yesterday. He made me realize that I hadn’t been completely honest with you either, so for my part in that, I apologise, and I’ll strive to do better.”

Reyah softened and reached her hands into mine. “I never thought my past would cause a catastrophe like this. I’m sorry I hid it from you before we married. It had been a secret for so long that I didn’t know how to tell you, and I’d foolishly hoped it would never matter.”

“And I’m sorry I avoided the truth about the attack on the palace when you asked. I thought I was shielding you.”

“Did you truly never suspect? That I was…Northern?”

“I didn’t. To me you were just a beautiful woman with stunning black hair. I held no prejudice. Perhaps it was my own fault for getting so wrapped up in you.” And Gods, I really had been hadn’t I? Too blinded by love and lust to see what she really was. But now it didn’t matter. She was my wife, my partner, one day she would be my Queen, and I would weather this storm with her.

“Can I—can I ask you a question, Reyah?”

“Of course.”

I stared down at her small hands in mine, my heart hurting over what I wanted to know, scared of her answer. “When you agreed to marry me, was it only because you thought you were doing what was best for the baby?”

My question hung in the air between us, looming and haunting.

And she hesitated.

“No, I—”

“It’s all right if it is. I gave you an impossible ultimatum and I won’t hold your decision against you.”

The look that came over her face, it was like she pitied me. “Can you stand in front of me now and say you were in love with me when we married, Kas? Honestly?”

And thenIhesitated.

I was, wasn’t I? I was in love with her when we married. I think I’d been in love with her for a long time.

“Does it make me a monster to say yes? That I think I loved you even while I was still married to Julienne?”

“Not at all,” she whispered. “Love is complicated and messy, and unexpected.”

She reached her chin up, beckoning me down to kiss her. And I happily obliged her wishes. I wanted this, I needed to feel close to her. I deepened the kiss, urging her mouth open and as she kissed me back, relief washed over me.

What she’d said was right. Love was complicated, and perhaps, the way that I loved her was not the way that she loved me, but for now I could live with that.

And Gods, how I had missed the taste of her, how I’d pined to hold her in my arms again after she left. My hands now at home cradling her face, our bodies pressed firmly against one another. Reyah’s fingers curled around the lapels of my jacket, then up the back of my neck and into my hair. I stiffened.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have—”

“No, it’s fine. You’re my wife, you should touch me however you want to touch me.”

“But that’s not what you like,” she said in a meek voice.

“Forget what I like. What do you like?”

Her cheeks flushed and her lip quivered.

“I like what you like…I like when you take over.”

I felt my chest tighten at her words, and suddenly there was a headiness in the air. And my cock, my needy fucking cock roared to life.

“Would you like me to bring you upstairs?”

Reyah looked up at me, batting pretty dark lashes, and nodded.

“Come.” I took her hand and walked back through the meeting room. Four or five people started for me, but I held a hand up to them. “I’ll be back.” They stepped away, dismissed.

---