Page 94 of Fated to the Wicked King

Shaking my head, I couldn’t help a chuckle as the irony smacked me right in the face.

What a fantastic pair we made.

He stroked my face, my hair, his rich, low voice soothing. “Trust me, Allie. That’s not the real you. The real you is the one who taught me that kingdoms must know when not to fight. The one who taught me negotiation comes before invasion. The one who got so mad when she found out I’d leveled a few towns just because I was trying to get her to break up with me.”

“A few?” I echoed mockingly.

“Look, whatever happened in your past, whoever you used to be, it’s nothing compared to what I’ve done. Your evil plots are nothing compared to my tyranny.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “God, I don’t even know if I can come back from that, or how anyone can even stand looking at me. If I were any less selfish, I would tell you to stay far, far away.”

I could barely stand the ache in my heart. “If I were any less selfish, I would say the same.”

Those mesmerizing blue eyes gazed down at me, as if he couldn’t believe the sincerity in my words. A shadow crossing his eyes, he shook his head. “Why do you still want me?”

Cupping his cheek, I peered into his face. “I know you.” I couldn’t stop touching him, my thumb stroking his jaw—oh⁠—

I dropped my head to stifle a sneeze.

He flinched in surprise.

When I met his gaze again, we both laughed.

Brushing my wet hair back, he cracked a sly grin. “Let’s get you out of these wet clothes.”

A shiver shot up my spine as he dropped to his knees before me. He let out a soft groan. “I’ll tell you, these boots have been driving me crazy since the ball.” He lifted the hem of my dress, drawing one leg to prop against his thigh so he could unlace my boots.

Chest heaving, I braced my hands against his shoulders to keep upright, shivering again when he grazed bare skin. I couldn’t catch my breath, my eyelids heavy with want.

As he shucked off one boot, then the other, those sparkling blue eyes were pinned on me, seeming mesmerized by my expression.

When he was done, warm fingers skimmed up my thighs, rustling against my dress as he stood back up, hands firmly settling against my hips. “Allie.” He bent his head, leaning closer. His whisper was warm against my neck. “You have no idea how much I missed you.”

I closed my eyes for a moment, electric anticipation shooting up and down my entire body. “I missed you so much too,” I breathed. “Why couldn’t you have just stayed with me?”

He ran his hands up and down my arms. “I’ve done everything I can to protect you for eight moons.”

“Protect me?” I echoed in ridicule. “I didn’t need your protection. I needed you.”

Confusion colored his eyes. “What’s the difference?”

I dropped my head with a derisive chuckle. “It seems I also need to teach you the difference between caring and controlling.”

“Yes, Allie. Teach me.” His eyes glowed. “Teach me everything.” His thumbs stroked my jaw. He bent his head to take my mouth with his.

I couldn’t help but moan right away. I clutched at his shoulders to pull him closer. Months of longing exploded inside me in a rush of warmth and certainty, a long-awaited surrender, a final homecoming, every unspoken want overflowing at last.

Lips still playing against mine, he tugged on my emerald hairpin, letting waves of my silver hair loose, cascading down my shoulders. He broke off for a moment, wondrous awe in his eyes as he drank in the sight of me. Like I was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen in the entire world.

He took a deep breath, his shoulders squaring in pleasure.

Without the last magical shield, he could feel the overwhelming burst of emotions from me too. Sense the innermost secrets of my heart. All my feelings laid bare. He would see everything. Know everything.

And I wanted him to.

I wanted us to see each other.

Completely.

He ran his fingers through my frizzy silver strands. “I love your hair this color.”