Page 47 of Only in Moonlight (The Moonlit Court #1)

Emmeline

T he carriage rumbled over the city streets as we finally headed back to Valen’s chateau. Dawn had broken after two long weeks of darkness, its soft light full of promise.

“So where do you think the jewel is now?” I asked, watching him carefully.

Nin had brought us fresh changes of clothes early in the morning, so he wore a surcoat that was free of bloodstains. He showed no sign of exhaustion or pain, though I knew he had bandages under his clothes and had slept less than I had.

“I don’t know and have no interest in finding out.” His gaze searched mine, and his voice lowered. “I’m sorry, Emmeline. It’s not that I don’t trust you, but some secrets aren’t mine to tell. I can’t give you any more than that—yet.”

“Yet?” I asked.

His mouth quirked. “Well, I couldn’t be expected to keep secrets if you were my wife.”

“Wife?” I squawked, nearly falling off my cushioned seat. A wave of dizziness threatened to pull me under as the implications of his words crashed over me, leaving me breathless and disoriented. “What—? You never—”

He watched me with amusement.

I scowled at him. “You’re messing with me.”

“No, I’m serious, but I realize this may be fast for you.”

I’d never even considered marriage before.

Nobody would have wanted to wed a dirt-poor, illegitimate pickpocket like me, and even if they had, I wouldn’t have accepted.

Marriage in Thallence meant chaining yourself to a man, freedom and safety subject to his whims. It wouldn’t be like that with Valen, but still…

“Will you at least stay for longer than a month?” he asked.

A weight settled in my stomach, and I struggled to form words with my lips. “I need to get back to my mother.”

“She can come here.” He shifted forward in his seat, knees brushing mine. “The chateau has more than enough room.”

“She’s not ready for that, and I don’t think I am, either. I want to buy her a cottage like I said before. You and I don’t have to fake a big breakup. We can tell everyone my mother is ill and I’m going back to Earth to take care of her.”

He slumped back, arms limp at his sides, devastation in his hollow eyes. “I… understand.”

I kicked his leg. “I was thinking that you, as a magical knight with a wand that opens portals between realms, could come visit.”

Life returned to him like the sun rising. “I’d like that.”

“Good. Because I want to stay with you. When I thought you were lying to me all along—”

I couldn’t finish. The wound—even though it was imagined—was too new and raw.

He clutched my hands, brought them to his lips, and kissed them. “Emmeline Le Brun, you are more precious than any jewel in all the kingdoms, and I love you desperately.” He ran his thumbs along the tops of my hands, gazing deeply into my eyes. “I can speak no truth stronger than that.”

I stared at him. Part of me wanted to make fun of his corniness; the rest of me wanted to melt at his feet. I settled on kissing him.

The moment our lips met, everything else faded away. The carriage, the city outside, the lingering ache from our ordeal—none of it mattered. There was only Valen’s mouth on mine, urgent and desperate, his hands framing my face like I was something infinitely treasured.

“I thought I’d lost you,” he whispered against my lips. “In the streets, when you ran away—”

“Shhh.” I silenced him with another kiss, deeper this time, pouring all my regret and relief into the contact. “I was wrong. So wrong.”

His arms came around me, pulling me across the narrow space between our seats until I was in his lap, the carriage swaying with our movement. I could taste the lingering fear on his tongue, the same terror that had taken hold of me—that we’d almost lost this before we’d truly found it.

“I love you, too,” I breathed between kisses. “Desperately and completely and foolishly.”

He groaned, a sound that went straight through me, and his mouth moved to my neck. His hot breath tantalized my skin, and his lips inflamed me. I rocked against him, feeling his cock harden beneath his trousers.

His hand slid between my legs, stroking me through the bunched-up layers of skirts.

I arched against him, my fingers tangling in his hair as he kept kissing and sucking on my neck.

My muscles tensed, a delicious ache building as the pleasure sharpened and intensified.

Had it only been two days since he’d touched me like this? It felt so much longer.

“Valen!” I gasped, as he nicked me with his teeth.

“Too much?” he asked.

“Not enough,” I said. “I’m not ready for marriage, but I want more. I want—”

Heat rose in my face. I didn’t know why I suddenly felt as bashful as a sheltered maiden princess. I’d grown up in a brothel, for God and Goddess’s sake.

“ Iwantyouinsideme .”

The words tumbled out in a rush, and I wanted to crawl into the deepest dungeon the Moonlit Court offered. Smooth seductress I was not.

But Valen didn’t look like I’d just embarrassed myself. He looked like a man who’d been offered paradise.

“Stars, Emmeline,” he breathed, clutching my thighs as he searched my face. “I’m—”

“Sir Valen?” the driver called. “We’ve arrived.”

Shit, the carriage had stopped moving. When the hell had that happened?

We broke apart, both breathing hard. Valen’s hair was disheveled from my hands, his lips swollen, and I probably looked equally wrecked. Of all the horrible timing. Couldn’t the driver have circled around the block for another ten minutes? Or sixty?

Valen needed a few moments for his bulge to decline.

Then he helped me out of the carriage, the throbbing in my core making every movement awkward.

Valen gave thanks to the driver as we practically ran to the front doors, but they opened before we reached them.

Nin came out with several other servants trailing behind her.

Their faces were carefully neutral, but I caught the relief in their eyes.

They’d been worried about their employer.

The least they could’ve done was let him get laid.

“Sir Valen, Emmeline,” Nin said. “Welcome home. Shall I have the cook prepare—”

“Later,” Valen said, his voice rough. His hand found mine, fingers intertwining. “We’re not to be disturbed.”

A thrill shot through me. So this wasn’t over.

Nin tried to hide it, but I caught the tiny smile. “Of course, sir. You must be tired.”

“Exhausted,” I agreed, my cheeks heating.

We climbed the grand staircase together, and by the time we reached Valen’s chambers, pent-up desire had me frazzled beyond belief. He closed the door behind us and turned the lock with deliberate precision.

Alone again. Finally. His chambers were every bit as extravagant and overlarge as they’d been when I’d first arrived, but now the vast bed looked tantalizing rather than pretentious.

The crystal chandelier had dimmed, casting the room in moody shadows, and a cool breeze rustled the gossamer curtains over the windows as it carried in a flowery scent from outside.

“Now then,” he said, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous tone that made my knees weak. “I believe I have a notorious thief to deal with.”

My pulse quickened. “Do you?”

He stalked toward me with predatory grace. “She’s been quite elusive. Slipped through my fingers more than once.”

“Maybe she wanted to be caught,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady even as he began unlacing my bodice with infuriating slowness.

“Is that so?”

The dress dropped to the floor in a puddle of fabric around my feet. His expert hands quickly freed me of my chemise, and I stood before him naked and nearly vibrating with longing.

Then he went to the nightstand, picking up the manacles he’d used to shackle me to the bed at the beginning of our partnership.

He smirked wickedly. “I think I should ensure you don’t escape again.”

“No deal.” I gestured at him. “I’m not surrendering until you take off your clothes, too.”

He chuckled but obeyed, undressing with the same deliberate care he’d shown me.

I swallowed as I watched him, each garment falling away to reveal his muscular form.

Bandages were still wrapped around his abdomen and shoulder, protecting the wounds from Drudon’s blade and the guards’ arrows.

Blood no longer stained them, though. The wounds would heal, both the physical ones and the others inside him.

He came close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from his body. “Surrender.”

I held out my wrists, pulse hammering in my throat. “I guess I’m at your mercy.”

“Then lie on the bed,” he commanded softly.

I obeyed. The silken sheets were cool against my skin, a stark contrast to the heat building between us. He guided my arms above my head and looped the chain through the headboard. His eyes darkened as he secured the shackles, testing them gently to ensure they didn’t constrict me too tightly.

“Comfortable?” he asked, the role dropping away for a moment.

“Perfect,” I assured him.

The game resumed as he stepped back to study his handiwork. “Much better. Now I can properly interrogate my prisoner.”

“I’ll never tell you anything,” I said.

“We’ll see about that.” He traced his fingers lightly up my stomach. “I have ways of making criminals talk.”

Then the torture began. He caressed my breasts, stroking and teasing my nipples until I bit my lower lip to keep from crying out.

His hands explored every inch of me, and when he moved to the junction of my thighs, a whimper escaped my lips.

Pure, overwhelming pleasure washed over me, erasing time and leaving only the intense present.

When he pulled away, I was breathing like I’d just outrun the guards, my skin slick with sweat. Valen reached into the drawer of the nightstand and pulled out a sheath of pliable white cloth. I watched in anticipation as he slid it onto his erection.

“This will prevent pregnancy.”

I nodded, relieved. Some men who visited the brothel used something similar to protect themselves, though nothing so sleek-looking.

But Valen wasn’t thinking of keeping himself safe from diseases; he was thinking of me.

That I could rely on him to do that, to keep me safe… It was a wonderful feeling.

Then he climbed onto the bed with me, skin against skin, and I thought I might die from the sheer perfection of it.

“My clever, impossible thief,” he whispered as he settled between my thighs.

“My noble, ridiculous knight,” I whispered back.

“Are you ready?”

“Take off the manacles first.”

He did as I asked, and having my arms free made me feel more at ease.

“Ready,” I said.

As carefully and tenderly as he entered me, it still hurt. I’d expected that, though, and his whispered comforts eased the pain. We rocked against each other awkwardly at first, but then we found our rhythm, and I forgot all about the pain. Pleasure obliterated it.

We moved together with the urgency of people who’d almost lost everything, every touch and kiss a declaration, every shared breath a promise. His amorous touches made every sensation sharper, but it was the look in his eyes that truly undid me—wonder and love and something close to worship.

All the fear and doubt and near-losses melted away, and I came—startlingly hard and fast. Valen grunted atop me as he thrust harder, his own climax taking him a few moments later.

Then he sagged, propping himself up on his arms so he wouldn’t crush me.

Hearts racing, foreheads pressed together, we tried to remember how to breathe.

Later, as we lay tangled in the silk sheets, I traced lazy patterns on his chest and marveled at how right this felt.

How perfectly we fit together despite all our differences.

And to think we would have never come together if I hadn’t stolen Tullus’s fortune, if Valen hadn’t caught me and wanted my skills for another heist.

“We should steal something else sometime,” I said.

He laughed.