Page 104 of Darkest Sin

“Thank you,” he murmurs.

“It’s the least I could do. You’re my husband after all. I don’t want you dying on me.”

“Now that I’m feeling better, we should talk about what happened tonight.”

“Ok?”

A flash of anger courses across his eyes. “About how reckless and stupid you were. How you could have died. I should spank you for it. If I wasn’t so tired, I would.”

“Iwas stupid and reckless? I saved your life!”

“And I never asked you to. I went there with Cillian knowing I would die. I never asked you to save me.”

“You didn’t go with Cillian. He dragged you away. So I saved you. Don’t get angry with me right now. You’re hurt. I’m hurt. I’m tired. You’re tired. We should just go to bed.”

“I can’t go to bed now. I have to deal with Nico and Cillian. I have to find them and kill them.” He stands up and I promptly nudge him back down.

“Mikhail, you love being in charge and I love that. But right now, I’m going to take the reins. You’re hurt. You need to rest. Please. Come to bed with me. Hold me. I thought I was going to lose you tonight and I fought hard to get back to you. To save you. I’m not letting you go put yourself back in danger right away again. Please.”

He stares into my eyes for a long time, then cups my face. “You mean everything to me.” We share a tender kiss that speaks for so much. Our love. Our fear. Everything we went through together tonight.

Mikhail agrees to come to bed with me and we lay down in each other’s arms. I don’t place my weight on him since he’s still in pain but I do lay beside him, letting him know that I’m right here.

“What exactly did you go through tonight?” he asks.

“I went to my uncle and asked for his help. He locked me up but I managed to escape. Nico found me and wanted to use me to hurt you. He didn’t know Cillian had kidnapped you without his knowledge so I told him and he found out where you were and took me there. I think he planned on using me to hurt you but he got caught in his fight with Cillian. You know the rest.”

He stares at me in awe. “You went through all of that? Just to get back to me?”

“I did.”

“Why? What have I done to deserve it?”

“You’re my husband,” I answer honestly. “I made a vow when I married you. You were just a stranger to me then but I still made my vows and I meant them and I’m going to stick by them for the rest of my life. I will fight for you, Mikhail.”

“And I will fight for you. I promise you that. I never knew I had a wife this brave.”

“I didn’t know it either.”

He gives me a kiss on the head. Everything, in this moment, is all right.

Even if tomorrow brings more war.

Chapter Eighteen

Natalya

Mikhail is still in bed with me when I wake up the next morning. Usually, he’s already awake and up, busy with business.

But he’s still asleep. His body is covered in gauze. He went through so much yesterday. I don’t even know all the details and I’m not sure I want to know.

I cup his cheek, just needing to touch him. Needing to know that he’s real. I married him to save myself and my family but he’s proven to be so much more than that for me. He’s not a means to an end.

He’s the man I’ve fallen in love with.

Mikhail’s eyes open and a slow smile spreads across his face. “I had a nightmare that you were hurt but you’re alive. You’re not hurt.”

“I’m not hurt.” I lean down and kiss him. It’s tender and sweet. Nothing like the passionate kisses we’ve shared before. This moment isn’t about dominance or control. This moment is just about being together as husband and wife.