Page 24

Kabir

I shouldn’t have said it.

I really shouldn’t have fucking said it.

It just slipped out. I hadn’t even meant to say it out loud—definitely not in front of Dylan, of all people.

Thankfully, Amelia didn’t hear me.

But Dylan did.

Why the hell did I mutter “in-law” when he called me brother?

God. Idiot. At least it didn’t piss him off. He even smiled. Guess I had the unofficial brotherly blessing now… yay?

But Amelia? No. Of course she didn’t let it go. She’d hounded me for days. Cornered me in hallways, whispered threats during nights, narrowed her eyes every time I even looked slightly smug.

“What did you say, Kabir?” she’d hiss. “What. Did. You. Say?”

And each time, I’d say nothing.

Because how the hell was I supposed to tell her I was already mentally assigning titles like wife and fucking forever?

That I was probably light-years ahead of her, weaving fantasies that might freak her the fuck out.

And fair enough—I’d freak the fuck out if the roles were reversed.

Now we were walking back to my— our —room, and she was at it again.

“You know I’ll just ask Dylan what you said,” she said from behind me. “He wouldn’t lie to me.”

I grunted. No way I was handing her that ammo.

“Seriously, Kabir, what did you say? Fucking tell me!”

I turned so fast she bumped straight into my chest. Her hands landed there for balance. Her scent flooded my brain.

Instead of answering, I snapped, “Why do you call the drone a bouquet?”

That shut her up.

Her eyes darted away, and her jaw clenched. She hesitated—just like every time I’d asked her before. And then came that hard swallow.

Gotcha.

“Right,” I nodded. “You give me that , I’ll give you mine.”

I turned and stalked off toward the room, my body already humming with anticipation. I needed inside her. Now.

We had called it early after seven drills, the lowest we’d ever done. Because tomorrow, we were heading to DC for the gala night.

She followed behind me, still muttering under her breath, that adorable growl in her voice making my blood thrum.

I opened the door with too much force. Practically tore it off its hinges.

We’d been sharing this room for almost a week now, but all we’d done was sleep. No time, no energy—just exhaustion crashing into us each night.

But not tonight.

Tonight, we’d fuck. I knew she had an IUD. Which was why I was planning on taking her bare.

I locked the door, leaned back against it, and watched her.

She was already stripping, huffing and puffing like a feral animal—muttering curses under her breath as she kicked off her pants.

My cock was as hard as steel—I didn’t dare look away.

Fuck, but she was cute.

“Wanna tell me what bouquet means?” I asked, arms crossed, like I wasn’t a hair’s breadth from pinning her to the nearest wall.

She glared, now in just her bra and panties. “Fine,” she snapped, practically spitting the words. “Seb gave me tulips on our date. And I realized—I’ve never actually been given flowers before. I didn’t even know what kind I liked.”

She stepped closer, her chin up in defiance, her chest rising and falling.

“And when you gave me the drone,” she continued, quieter now, “I realized that was it. That’s my favorite flower. My bouquet. The end.”

She finished, breathing hard, eyes bright with frustration.

And I?

I was fucking wrecked.

My jaw slackened, chest tight.

That tiny confession. That casual truth. It destroyed me in the best way.

I didn’t think it was possible to fall harder.

But I did.

Right then, in our dimly lit room, with her half-dressed and furious, I fell even deeper in love with Amelia Desmond.

And it scared the hell out of me.

“There,” she said, folding her arms. “Now tell me what you said to Dylan.”

Shit.

I rubbed the back of my neck and took a breath, mostly to stop my heart from thudding out of my chest. Because I was still reeling from what she had just told me. Drone as bouquet.

Who the hell says that?

Only her.

Only my Heer .

“He, uh…” My throat was suddenly bone-dry. “He called me brother.”

Her eyes narrowed, suspicious. Waiting for the rest.

I stared at her and let the words tumble out. “I just… added ‘in-law.’”

Her mouth parted slightly. I could see her processing it slowly, her lashes fluttering as her brows pulled together. She looked almost dazed—like the weight of it was sinking in molecule by molecule.

God , was that too much?

Too fast?

Too real?

Maybe I should’ve waited. A few more weeks. Months. Hell, maybe years. Maybe I should’ve kept it in my chest where all the other terrifying feelings lived.

But her silence was killing me.

I waited. I would wait—for as long as it took.

Just don’t walk away, Lia. Please don’t laugh it off. Don’t freeze. Don’t tell me I made a mistake. Because I meant it.

I mean it.

She blinked rapidly and cleared her throat, the tension in her brow easing just a bit.

Still no words.

My heart was thudding in my ears. Each second she stayed silent chipped away at the fragile thing I’d handed her.

“Lia,” I said quietly, already hating myself for pushing. “I shouldn’t have—”

“I’m sorry but…” she interrupted—and then went completely blank.

My stomach dropped.

Fuck.

That pause. That hesitation. That I’m sorry but —it was a knife twisting slowly.

Goddammit, Kabir.

I had ruined it.

Her sigh was long. Her shoulders slumped. And just as I prepared for the heartbreak, she looked up at me with that insane, lethal glint in her eyes.

“Take your cock out,” she said flatly. “Fuck me limp, and then we can discuss rings.”

I stared.

I blinked .

Did she just—?

What?

Did she actually—?

My brain was buffering like a dying system update. I didn’t move a muscle, too afraid this was some test I was about to fail spectacularly. I was trying to compute whether I was hallucinating from how hard I’d fallen for her.

Then she snapped her fingers in front of my face.

“Now!”

I damn near jumped out of my skin.

“Yep! Yep, yep, yep,” I muttered as I scrambled out of my clothes so fast I nearly tripped over my own pants.

“Seven years,” she mumbled as she shimmied out of her bra and panties. “Seven stupid years, I haven’t been dicked down… and this moron fucking freezes.”

I grinned at her adorable mutterings.

I walked over and gently took her by the waist, turning her toward me. She was glaring up at me like I owed her a debt—and maybe I did.

“My male brain takes a second to process, Heer ,” I murmured, dragging the back of my knuckles across her bare side.

She rolled her eyes. God help me, this woman was begging for a spanking.

“Seven years of celibacy, Lia,” I whispered, pushing her back until the bed caught her. She bounced slightly as she landed, wide-eyed. “Seven years of restraint,” I kissed her. Deep. Slow. Relentless. “And I’m going to fuck it all into you.”

My cock was leaking on her thigh. I could feel her feet slowly caressing my calf, sliding up slowly, pulling me further.

My hands found her skin—her waist, her ribs, then higher. Her breasts were soft, too soft. And warm. I cupped one, then bent to take it into my mouth, lavishing it with the kind of attention I’d only dreamed of. She arched beneath me, gasping my name.

“Ka-Kabir…” she moaned, desperate. “I need you inside me. Please…”

Two of my fingers slid into her with ease, her back bowing at the intrusion. My lips found hers again as I watched her fall apart.

“You don’t beg, Heeriye . Never beg.” I growled gently. “You demand.”

I rubbed circles on her clit with my thumb.

Fuck it.

I threw her thighs over my shoulder, lifting her lower half. My tongue instantly finding the sweet nub.

She was dripping, so fucking wet that I had to lap it all up, drink her in.

“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!” She cried mindlessly. Her hands fisting the sheet near her head.

What a fucking sight my Heer made.

Her legs were shaking now. Her body giving out on a loud moan as she came.

She relaxed a little—almost limp.

I licked her clit again, and illicit cry escaping her.

Fuck, she was gorgeously spent.

But this wasn’t over.

Not yet.

I didn’t give her a moment to relax. Settling her down on the bed again, I climbed up.

Lining my cock with her sweet, sweet cunt.

“ Fuck me limp, you said,” I languidly licked her neck, causing her to shiver.

“Kabir…” she breathed out as a sated smile took over. “Fuck me.”

I could feel the love in her stare. But not just love. I saw a demand.

And fuck if I won’t give my Heer what she asked for.

Her hand brushed through my hair and held the back of my neck as I pushed in until I met resistance.

I stilled.

It was everything.

Everything I’d imagined, but more. Her warmth, the way her body welcomed mine—it wasn’t just physical. It was home.

A tremor passed through me. I dropped my forehead to hers, eyes burning.

“I love you,” I rasped. “So damn much.”

“I love you too,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “And I’m never letting you go.”

That was it. My control was gone. I began to move. Slow at first, savoring every sound she made, every time she whispered my name like it was the only word she knew.

We moved together—matched, synced, like a rhythm we hadn’t known we’d memorized.

All while I was forcing myself to not blow my fucking load within seconds.

A frantic rhythm took over me as her moans got louder.

My name on her lips spurring me on.

I quickly shifted our position so I was on my side—behind her—her leg propped on my arm.

She looked over her shoulder, seeking my mouth.

I gave her languid kiss, all while pumping in and out of her.

Her legs were shaking again, her toes curling.

“Fuck me… fuck… harder, baby, fuck!” She screamed.

That was it. I knew I was as close as she was.

I was about five pumps away to blowing my wad when she screamed once more. Her second climax came hard. Her whole body clenched.

Fuck. I guess I was just three pumps away.

I spilled into her.

My mouth finding her neck.

We lay there after cleaning up, breathless and tangled. My hand lazily stroked her back as she rested against my chest, her leg on my thigh.

“That was the best sex I’ve had in seven years,” she murmured, eyes closed.

I chuckled as my palm met her ass. “The only sex you’ve had in seven years.”

She slapped my chest with a sleepy smile, and I wrapped my arms tighter around her.

“I think I like sapphire…” she mumbled before drifting off to sleep. Leaving my jaw aching with the stupid smile that wouldn’t go away.

This was all I needed.

Too bad I didn’t realize I would come to miss this night with a hollow, unrelenting ache.