Page 107 of Knight’s Dominion

She reached out and traced her finger over the markings on his arm, the tattoo-like designs that all knights had, telling the story of what he was and where he came from. "I'm sorry I worried you. I'm not used to relying on anyone else… Since my parents, no one’s ever—” She shook her head.

His heart jumped against his ribs. “I know it’s hard for you to understand what this is, what we are, but you can trust me, angel. I will never…fuck, could never, hurt you.”

She still looked uncertain. “This whole thing, it’s just so confusing.”

“I know, but we’ll work it out. We just need to talk to each other. You can ask me anything, tell me anything, yeah?”

She nodded, but again didn’t look totally convinced.

It cut him deeper than it should. They were mated, but they still didn’t know each other, not really. It would take time to earn the total trust he so desperately wanted from her. He forced himself to climb out of bed and pulled the sheet up, tucking it around her. “You should get some sleep."

He stood to leave the room. The way he was feeling, some distance from her might be a good idea. She wasn’t where he was. It was hard to accept, but pushing for more would only push her farther away.

"Chaos?"

"Yeah?" He couldn't bring himself to look at her as a wave of need washed over him so fierce it took all his strength not to turn around, get into bed, and hold her like she was the most precious thing in his life.

“Why do you call me angel?”

He swallowed, a lump forming in his throat. “Because you’re what I imagined one would be like when I was a little boy…fierce, intelligent…breathtakingly beautiful.”

She was silent several beats, and he worried that he’d said too much.

“Your mother was an angel,” she said softly. “How is it you’d never seen one?”

He turned back to her and the way she looked, all rumpled and soft, made his gut ache. “They had their servants take care of us until we were old enough to train.”

“But your mother…”

“I have no idea who she is.”

Sadness filled her eyes, for him. He turned to leave again, before he kissed her, kept on kissing her.

“Chaos?” she said again.

“Yeah?”

“Are you coming back?"

The uncertain way she'd asked, giving away a piece of herself in that moment, was something he’d been worried he'd never get. Fuck, just dropping her guard, that tiny bit of vulnerability, and it made him feel…shit, full, warm—whole. “Yes.”

She relaxed, and until that minute, he hadn't realized how tense she was, afraid that he wouldn’t come back to her? That he’d leave her after what they’d just shared, like it meant nothing? Jesus. He watched as she snuggled down under the covers and closed her eyes.

Fuck it. He’d talk to his brothers about what they found in that penthouse in the morning. He didn’t want to leave her, not even for a second. He switched off the lights and climbed back in beside her, then wrapped her in his arms.

Grace didn’t freeze up or pull away, no, she sighed in pleasure and pressed closer, like she was seeking comfort from him.

Along with the sound of his name on her lips when she came, it was the most satisfying sound he'd ever heard.

CHAPTER 29

In a dungeon at an unknown location.

A whisper of sound jarred the male awake. His eyes flew open, but in the intense darkness he couldn't see a thing. All that nothingness matched the darkness in his mind. An empty void, that no matter how hard he searched, gave up nothing.

There was nothing.

Except her.