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“I’ll decide that after the blood is off you.”

She removed her bra and stepped towards the bath.

I lifted her into the water and followed. Red spread from our skin in thin clouds before disappearing into the drain. Bryony pushed my wet hair away from my face and examined the healed cuts around my throat.

“The collar did more damage than I realised.”

“It’s closed now.”

“That doesn’t mean I have to like it.” Her fingers moved to the red band at my wrist. “And I fucking hate these.”

I turned my arm and caught her hand. “You removed what you could without trading my will for it. I’ll take four blood cuffs over an oath that makes every choice yours.”

“I didn’t want that.”

“I know.” I brought her palm to my mouth. “That’s why I walked back into the garden.”

Bryony watched me for a moment. Water ran from her hair and down her breasts. “Was it only because I refused the Crown?”

“No.”

She deserved the full answer.

“I came back because leaving you with Adrian felt worse than the chains,” I said. “At the boundary, I tried to tell myself I was returning for the court. You’re the heir, Adrian wants the Crown, and letting him take either would destroy everyone loyal to Harrowmere. All of that was true, but you turned me around. I pictured him putting his hands on you and knew I’d hate every free step I took without you.”

Her thumb moved over my lower lip. “That’s dangerously close to being romantic.”

“Don’t spread it around.”

Her amusement faded. “I need you to understand one thing. I’m not a reward for making the decent choice. I want you, and I’m here because I decided to be. Treat this as payment, and I’ll throw you out of that enormous bed.”

“I don’t want payment. I want you to choose me when a locked gate isn’t forcing us into the same rooms. I want to show you the parts of Harrowmere that don’t try to drink your blood and see whether you still want me when leaving is easy.”

Bryony slid a hand around my neck. “I’m choosing you now. Stop trying to make tonight answer every question we’ll have when the doors open.”

I pulled her across my lap and kissed her.

The water shifted around us. Bryony settled over my thighs and kissed me until the remaining taste of blood disappeared. Her nipples pressed against my chest. I covered one breast and rubbed my thumb over the hard point while her hips moved against my cock.

My control lasted until she bit my lower lip.

I stood with her in my arms. Water ran from us as I carried her into the bedroom and lowered her onto the dark sheets. When she reached for me, I caught both wrists and pressed them above her head.

Her eyes darkened. Her legs opened wider, and she kept her wrists there when I released them.

I stripped off my wet trousers and drew her knickers down her legs. Bryony watched every movement, her gaze fixed on my cock as I moved over her. No iron stopped me from covering her body with mine.

I kissed her throat and worked lower. My mouth closed around one nipple while my hand travelled down her stomach. She arched into both touches, fingers tightening against the sheets.

I bit her nipple lightly. Her breath broke, and I gave the other breast the same attention until her hips lifted towards me.

I kissed down her stomach and settled between her thighs.

She was already wet. One slow stroke of my tongue sent her hands into my hair.

I caught one wrist, drew it above her head and held it there as I licked her again. Her free hand curled into my hair, but she stopped trying to set the pace. Her thighs opened wider under my shoulders.

I held her thighs apart and put my mouth back on her. The next stroke made her swear. I circled her clit with my tongue, kept the pressure steady and slid two fingers inside her.