Page 90 of Brutal Reign

“It is,” Dr. Popov says, lighting up at Kin’s enthusiasm. “Would you like a closer look?”

Forgetting to be shy, Kin takes the professor’s hand as she leads him toward the display.

I’m fucking thrilled to find myself alone with Hope for the first time today.

She’s wearing a soft cream tank top that hugs her curves and dark jeans that make her look like sin personified. Dinara handled all of Hope’s shopping, and I’m impressed as hell. Might even give her a raise even though I already pay her exceptionally well.

Despite wearing little makeup, Hope’s skin glows, and her hair falls straight down, reaching her mid-back, making me want to wrap it around my fist while she holds tight to the headboard.

She lightly elbows me. “How did you manage to buy out an entire museum for the day?”

I shrug like it’s nothing, though the truth is I called in three favors with city officials and made a donation that would fund their children’s education programs for the next five years. “Iknow people who appreciate generous donations to educational causes.”

Hope’s eyes widen slightly. “You’re nuts. You didn’t have to do that.”

“I didn’t have to. I wanted to.” After my conversation with Dinara this morning, I wanted to do something good for them, something that had nothing to do with protection or strategy. Just making Hope and Kin happy. “And it’s safer this way. My security can keep their distance instead of hovering around us. Plus...” I glance over at Kin, who’s completely absorbed in whatever the professor is explaining to him. “It allows me to focus on the two of you, not spend it worrying about anything else.”

Something warm flickers in Hope’s expression, but it fades fast. Her face falls like a shadow’s crossed over it, and she looks away from me toward Kin.

“What is it?” I ask, noticing the way her shoulders tense.

She waves a hand in front of her face. “It’s nothing.”

I take her hand and pull her behind a massive Brachiosaurus display, where we’re hidden from view.

“Don’t tell me it’s nothing.” I back her against the wall, bracketing her in with my frame. “What’s bothering you?”

She takes a shaky breath, avoiding my eyes. “I realized no one’s ever done something nice for Kin for no other reason than to see him smile.”

I frame her face with my hands, forcing her to look at me. When I do, she seems to get shy.

“Forget it, I’m being stupid. Must be premenstrual.”

“Fuck that.” I drop my head, pressing my forehead against hers. “You know as well as I do that it’s not too much to expect others to care about your son. He’s worth it. You’re worth it. Watching Kin light up is the best. I haven’t felt like this since…”

Kamilla.

But I don’t say that. I can’t.

“For a while.”

She watches me as closely as I watch her.

A delicate hand presses against my chest. “Thank you. For being good to him.”

A protective fire kindles in my veins. No one will ever make her feel that alone again.

“You don’t have to thank me. I’m your husband.”

For once, she doesn’t fight me. Instead, I stroke over her delicate pulse point, feeling it race beneath my thumb where it rests at her throat.

“I really need to kiss you,” I murmur, and before she can build her walls back up, I claim her mouth.

She holds back for a moment, before her defenses shatter and she’s kissing me back with desperate need, her mouth opening under mine like she’s just as hungry for this as I am.

I devour her response, my tongue sliding deep to taste every inch of her. She tastes like mint and forbidden sweetness, and when she makes this helpless sound that goes straight to my cock, her fingers tangle in my hair, pulling me closer. I groan against her mouth, my self-control already wearing thin.

“Pavel,” she breathes against my lips, and the way she says my name makes me dizzy.