Page 158 of Filthy Royal

She bit her lip. Looked away. “I can’t make that kind of promise.”

He gripped her chin and drew her gaze back to his. “You can. You will.” Otherwise, he’d chain her to him and never let her leave again. He might not anyway. “You think just because I wasn’t physically here that I wasn’t with you every single rotation? That my lungs didn’t breathe in time with yours? My heartbeat didn’t match yours? The truth is that you never left me. I carried you with me with every step, every breath.”

Her expression softened.

He carried on. “Far away or near, fated-mate marks or not, it doesn’t matter. You leave this life, and that’s it for me. I’ll fly my shuttle into the closest sun and join you in the beyond.”

“Damien, no!”

“You want to look out for me, then you stay right here in this galaxy, and you fight with everything you have to stay alive. Promise me.”

Her chin trembled beneath his hold.

“Say it.”

“I-I promise.”

“Good.” His heart still pounded inside his chest, but at least he could draw air. He pulled back just far enough to stare down into her beautiful, tear-stained face.

Scarlett was still here. Alive. In his arms.

He refused to squander another moment.

“Things are going to be better now.” He said it as much for himself as for her.

His words only made Scarlett’s eyes fill with tears anew. “I wish… I wish… that were true.”

“It is.” His determination centered him. “I’m bigger and meaner than anything life can throw at us.”

She shook in his hold. “Sometimes, there are things even you can’t fight.”

“We’ll see about that.” He pressed his forehead to hers. “We’ll deal with Darvish’s threats until they’re no longer an issue.”

“It’s not that easy.”

“Nothing worth it ever is.” He bounded to his feet and strode toward another doorway at the back of the hideout, holding her tight in his arms. “This is where you and I begin again.”

22

SCARLETT

Scarlett clung to Damien as he strode through the second doorway into a charming grotto with rocky walls and a large shimmering, turquoise pool with steam rising from the top.

It was a beautiful surprise.

Almost as beautiful as Damien’s pledge to her.

Begin again.That was all she wanted too.

She just wasn’t sure it was possible.

“Damien.” She pressed a hand to his chest. “I don’t—”

“No.” His gaze bore into hers. “No more hesitation. No more waiting.”

Her heart beat faster. “There are things you still don’t know.”

“I realize that. And we’ll get to them. But what Idoknow is that I fucked up and let anger, ego, and hurt rule. I fucked up by staying away for so long, and I fucked up how I’ve dealt with you since I came back. That ends now.” He set her gently on her feet but didn’t let go. “And you and I start anew.”

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