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My heart pounds, but I don’t argue. I walk over to the couch and lie back. When my gaze flicks to Damian, he’s watching me, his stare unnervingly steady.

The doctor kneels beside me and puts on his gloves. During the examination, his touch is professional. Surprising, since he’s probably not a real doctor. Still, Damian doesn’t seem to like it when the man’s hands slip inside me.

“Don’t linger,” Damian snaps, “or I’ll skin you alive.”

The doctor recoils. “She’s pure.”

“Pure?” My voice is dry. “That doesn’t sound like medical terminology.”

Damian doesn’t seem to be listening. His smile is back. It’s dark and satisfied—the kind that makes my stomach twist.

He’s not thinking straight. He’s too hurt.

And I’m the only one who can pull him back to clarity.

39

Ava

When I slip into Damian’s room, he’s standing on the balcony, staring out at the dark cliffs. His body is as still and stiff as a statue.

He’s being irrational. Resorting to his usual tactics. Put a baby in me? As if pregnancy is a brand of loyalty instead of a life-altering decision.

I know better.

He might believe he’s being calculating, but he’s just reacting the way people do when they’re scared. He’s just as raw and vulnerable and human as anyone else.

He’s hurt, and I need to show him that I’m not just another of the many people in his life who abandoned him.

I won’t let his fear push us into something irreversible—not without thought. I’ll prove my loyalty tonight, in the way he needs. It’s unlikely I’ll get pregnant.

Once this storm in him passes, I’ll negotiate. He’ll listen once he can breathe again.

I walk out onto the balcony, the soft fabric of my nightgown brushing against my skin. When I get to him, I reach out and let my fingers graze his shoulder.

He stiffens, and after what feels like an eternity, he turns to me. His gaze sweeps down my body. His expression shifts only slightly, but I see it.

Want.

But then his jaw tightens. “Go lay down. I’ll be with you shortly.”

My pulse races as I nod and head back into his bedroom and toward the bed. The weight of his gaze follows me until I slip beneath the covers.

Damian crosses the room. He peels off his shirt and belt, and then the rest, never breaking his slow, practiced rhythm.

“You’re not getting out of this.” His voice is like velvet laced with steel. “I’m impregnating you tonight.”

He says it like it’s a fact, like he’s above biology itself. Even if I’m ovulating, he can’t guarantee it.

But he was raised in a group of men who think they can become immortal if they just work hard enough.

He stands there naked, at ease in his own skin in a way that makes my mouth go dry. He slips into the bed beside me. His hand curls around my waist, and he pulls me closer.

His warm breath tickles my face as his mouth moves to mine, but the kiss is cold.

I won’t allow it.

I grab his neck with both hands and yank him toward me, kissing him hard. “I love you,” I say as I pull away.