Page 88 of A Bond so Fierce and Fragile

“Please. Look at me.”

Fuck.

His eyes flew open. He couldn’t say no to her. He couldn’t even fucking argue with her.

You love her because of how selfless she is.

How he wished he didn’t.

Why couldn’t he have been mated to someone fucking selfish?

Someone like himself.

He didn’t care about the world. He’d gladly sacrifice every single person he knew if that meant Lessia lived. But…

“I won’t be able to change your mind, will I?” Merrick’s eyes hungrily roved over her face, wishing to find a single strain of hesitation.

Just one and he’d fucking throw her over his shoulder again and take off.

But there wasn’t any in her beautiful, sunny eyes, nor was there any in her soft features as she tried to hike her smile higher.

“I can’t have all this, but you can. You all can.” Lessia traced her fingers over his mouth, a flicker of her heat tinging the air as she followed the downward curve of his lips. “I’ll go to the gods. Maybe… maybe there is something we haven’t thought about. But this is my choice, Merrick.”

She didn’t need to say what she was thinking for Merrick to understand.

You’ve always respected my choices.

Lessia’s fingers moved down from his face, trailing over his bare skin. “I love you,” she whispered again. “Please…”

His mind went to the regent.

Maybe he hadn’t been such a bastard for taking a choice away from her.

He’d saved her life, after all, and she’d forgiven him…

But as he continued to stare into her warm eyes, the color of honey—of pure goodness—he couldn’t do it.

He didn’t know what it said about him. He just… he couldn’t.

“Please…” she begged softly once more, and Merrick couldn’t stop the sweet scent that invaded his senses as she moved closer to him, her hand wandering farther down.

As his hands fell from her cheeks, she shook off the blanket he’d wrapped her in.

She was entirely naked. Naked, but with blood and dirt and dust covering her beautiful skin. Still, she was the most alluring female he’d ever seen.

His hands moved to her shoulders, and a whimper fell from her mouth as he caressed her skin, careful not to press on any of the wounds that might still pain her.

“Merrick,” she breathed.

He would never get over hearing her say his name like that.

She was fucking distracting him.

He knew that, but she also wanted this.

She wanted him—needed him. He could smell it. Fucking sense it. And he’d do anything for her.

As his hands drifted across her perfect skin, down her neck, across her collarbone until they grazed her breasts and a wanting sound escaped her, Merrick promised himself he’d give her everything she wished for.