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He shook his head. “No. They can’t.”

It was the reason he had an entire plan to introduce her to the place.

The smell of salt in the air preceded the tears that rolled down her cheeks.

She turned and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face into the space underneath his chest.

Caught off guard, he reflexively returned the embrace.

She’d been suppressing her emotions from the bond.

The fear and sorrow that washed over him as she released her hold on the dam she’d built slashed across his heart.

What could make her feel like this?

Alessandro pulled her in closer, rocking back and forth to soothe the pain.

“I’m trying not to fall here, San. Please stop being so fucking perfect.”

He blinked in surprise and down at her. “What?”

She buried her chin against his chest to stare up at him. Her lashes dripped her tears, eyes shone red, nose slightly ran.

Alessandro had never seen a more perfect sight. He cupped her cheek and furrowed his eyebrows.

“Why haven’t you given in to your godhood?”

“Because it isn’t my power.” It was the answer he’d always given. But her shining eyes, both the blue and starry one, required something deeper. Something he’d never admitted out loud. “People know that there are proper gods, those who spring from the celestial realm when enough humans practice their faith, and that there are made-gods, mystics who evolve from the faithof other mystics. What most people are unaware of is that no matter how they got into the celestial realms, they fall into two types of godhood. Do you know what those are?”

She shook her head, and the movement tickled. He ran his fingers through her hair as he continued. “There is the godhood of creation and the godhood of destruction. I fall into the latter category because my people gave me the power to bring about the destruction of King Titus.” He sighed. “Gods of destruction are few, because the gods of creation usually enslave or eradicate them.”

Her eyes widened.

“I don’t and won’t give into my godhood because I have no desire to live in that violence. And now you’ve given me another reason to keep rejecting it.” He motioned toward the mating mark on his forehead. “As long as you keep choosing this, keep choosing me, I’m not going any- fucking-where.”

“What if one day you are left with no choice?” She whispered. “What am I supposed to do if you’re forced to leave?”

He narrowed his eyes. “Is that what’s been holding you back?”

She gave a miserable nod.

“We can figure out the middle of what that may all mean together.” Her words thrown back at her was all she needed to hear.

She closed her eyes and laughed. “This relationship is going to be such a pain in the ass.”

“I realized that the moment you showed up to your coronation with the devil as your godfather.” He groaned as he pulled her into his chest and kissed the top of her head. “But you’re worth every growing pain.”

He didn’t have to see her face to tell that she was blushing. He could feel the heat against his sternum.

“San, say we were to make our way over to that giant bed in the middle of the room and you were to lie down while I rode your--”

“Ro, are you about to say something perverted to soften the blow of me saying something intimate?” He asked.

“I-I can be intimate.” She pulled back to stare up at him. “Say we were to make our way over to that giant bed in the middle of the room and you were to lie down while I rode your….damn it.”

He let out a sharp laugh. “Why don’t you just tell me what you were really going to say?” He nuzzled her neck, and she squealed. “I prefer my insatiable mate, if I’m being honest.”

She relaxed against him as his tongue snaked out and ran over the scar of where he’d marked her and she became putty in his hands.