Page 898 of Coal Hearts

I jerked my head back, dislodging his hold. “Then what’s the problem?”

“The problem?” He sighed heavily. “The problem is...I already have too much. I don’t deserve this. It’s too much. I...” He glanced at his hands. “I’ve got blood all over me, little nightmare. I can’t—”

Fear pricked my heart. I leaned back in his embrace. Terror I hadn’t felt since the island crashed through me like ice. “You mean...even though you want this...you don’t want it at the same time? I know we’ve never had that conversation but...”

“Don’t want?” His eyes shot wide. “Don’t deserve. How am I supposed to survive that level of happiness when I can barely survive you?” He pressed a fist to his chest. “My heart threatens to pop every time I look at you. Every time I come home to you, I almost sob like a fool.” Cupping my cheek, he whispered, “I’m so fucking lucky. I’ve already been given so much. Too much. If I have anything else, it might get taken away and—”

“Ah, Henri.” The ice of fear melted into flames of love. “Hen...listen to me.”

He froze, his eyes churning with shadows.

“Nothing will get taken away. And you do deserve this. Just tell me you want this and...everything will be okay. I promise.”

His gaze fell to my lips. “I want this.”

I shivered. “You do?”

“The more minutes that tick past knowing you’re pregnant with my child? Jesus Christ.” His jaw clenched. Heat rolled off him. “A child I put in your belly.”

In an instant, he had me flat on my back. His hands flipped up my summer floaty skirt and tugged at my underwear. “I need you. Fuck, I need you.”

I laughed. “But Peter is due any moment—”

“Don’t care.” Fumbling with his belt, he shoved his jeans and boxers down just enough to free himself. “It’s nothing he’s not seen before anyway.”

Scooting me beneath him, he kissed me hard just as his cock found me.

I was ready for him.

I was always ready for him.

We might be partners in life and twin flames of the soul, but he was still the ruler of my body. After six months of playing our games and shattering apart with mutual ecstasy, the moment I heard his voice, my body melted for him.

It’d come in rather convenient.

Mounting me, he grunted with pleasure.

My legs flopped wide as I surrendered to the bliss only he could give me.

Hard or fast, cruel or careful, Henri knew exactly how to push me out of mere want and straight into delirium.

Clawing his scar-laced back, I gasped as he thrust.

“You know you’ve already put a baby inside me, right? You don’t need—”

“Fuck, say that again.” His teeth landed on my neck, igniting my blood with fire.

“You’ve impregnated me, you fool.” I giggled then groaned as he bit me. “You can’t do it twice.”

“Watch me.”

I laughed and clung to him.

“You know this means we have to get married, right?” He rocked and thrust, driving me into the carpet. “No more waiting for families and friends. No pretty invitations. No big event. We do it tonight. Right now.”

I moaned as his pace increased.

The gravel outside crunched with car tyres.