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“Which means he’s powerful.”

Shaye dropped his head, resting his forehead to hers, a motion made tender by the gentle stroke of his thumb along her cheek.

“Thaddeus is a force to be reckoned with, but his fault is his confidence.” His fingers caught on one of her curls and played with the strand. “And worry not your beautiful head, my love. Thaddeus is no match for me.”

“Speaking of confidence.”

Shaye chuckled, a sound that stirred desire in her blood. “’Twas not possible for him to breach the wards without help from Daeanna and someone close to Dagda. Which means there are treasonous members of Dagda’s closest circle who favor an exiled princess over their king.”

Her mouth dried as his fingers trailed along the V of her neckline. Oh, how she craved his kiss, his touch, his everything right about now. Even if her cheeks flushed at the thought of intimacy while carrying a child. Hell, she refused to let her ex near her while she was pregnant with Chase.

Shaye?

She couldn’t get close enough to him.

Ever.

Even with the threat of the world as they knew it about to fall down around them.

“Ahh,mo ghra. Your sweet heart is racing,” he teased with that rich, sensual voice that could undo her without a fight. “Shall we make all this talk go away for a time?”

She pressed into his fingers as they crept beneath the neckline, caressing the swell of her aching breast. “What do you have in mind?”

In response, he flicked his tongue out and teased her top lip. She sighed, closing her eyes and succumbing to the delicious nip following his playful lick. Lower he dipped, brushing his sinful lips against her jaw, her neck, until he reached the tender patch of flesh where her neck met her shoulder. He bit, gently, sending a rush of pleasure throughout every limb. A quiet moan fled her lips.

“Anything you desire,mo ghra.” His hand fisted in her skirt. With a sharp tug, he lifted the skirt to her thighs as he dropped to his knees on the floor before her. “Tell me what you wish, and I am helpless to do your bidding.”

And just like that, her belovedanam carabanished the evils of the world as he brought them into their sacred little bubble where nothing could touch them.

Ever.

16

“Good morn,” Rihanna whispered against his ear, her breath teasing the mussed strands of hair cutting over his face.

She smiled and leaned back, admiring the way he stirred awake. Stretching his arms over his head, he groaned, bowing off the mattress before he dropped his palms over his eyes and rubbed. Her heart gave a wild flutter at the sight, recalling how he would stir awake from a mere whisper in a similar fashion. It endeared him more to her in this life, helping her to realize the old Mikhail wasn’t lost to this new Bryce.

How could she argue? She hadn’t slept as well since the last time she lay with Mikhail. In fact, she woke so utterly refreshed and alive, she pinched her arm to make sure ’twasn’t a dream.

His hands stilled over his eyes. His chest ceased the steady rise and fall. For a moment, he didn’t move.

Slowly, he separated his fingers, his stunning green eyes bright this morn as they peered up at her.

Rihanna laughed quietly, easing one hand away from his face. “Good morn, Bryce. I dare assume you slept well, aye?”

His other hand dropped away from his face. He looked her over slowly. His gaze could easily burn through her clothing and melt her skin, even now. Somehow, she held herself together.

He flicked a finger toward her, motioning to her body. “This isnotfair.”

Her smile faded. “I’m afraid I don’t understand.” She looked down at her attire. She’d chosen a pair of skinny jeans and a loose sweater that hung off her shoulder in hopes of not appearing too eclectic. Had she mistaken the fashion trends of the time? “Is something the matter—”

“Oh, God, no.” He shoved himself upright and raked his hands through his bed-mussed hair, smoothing down the waves. “Bathroom?”

Rihanna pointed to the ensuite. Bryce was out of the bed in a blink and just as quickly disappeared behind the closed bathroom door. Baffled, Rihanna chewed her lower lip, tugging the bottom of her sweater uncertainly as she listened to the water run. Mikhail’s soul may be within Bryce. Mikhail’s expressions and motions may come naturally to Bryce. But maybe she needed to take her own advice. ’Twould be easy to forego a century to indulge her heart. ’Twould be foolish, also.

Leaving Bryce to his ministrations, Rihanna headed down to the kitchen to finish preparing coffee, tea, and eggs and sausage. She certainly lacked her cousins’ culinary skills, but she could prepare decent simple dishes. She had lost all desire to learn skills that would remind her of a life brutally stolen from her at the hands of jealous humans. Now, she wished she had taken the time, especially recently, to cultivate a few more lost skills in the kitchen.

As she placed the plates on the kitchen table, she heard Bryce’s footsteps descend the stairs. The unfamiliar rush of nervousness nearly caused her to drop the last plate, but she managed to knock a few sausage links onto the table. She was scrambling to clean them up when strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind, pulling her away. Bryce nuzzled his face against her neck, kissing her skin until he reached her ear.