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“Just hang on, okay?” He gathered her to him. “Your brothers will come for you.”

Dion and Tiago would tear apart heaven and earth to save Rosana.

Like Adric would have for his sister—if he’d known those bastards had kidnapped her. But they’d smashed her quartz so she couldn’t call for help. By the time Adric had found out, it was too late. They’d had a whole night with her.

He swallowed.

Let it go. Jani’s okay, getting better all the time.

A silence. Then Rosana said, “About that…”

An icy finger traced down his spine. “What did you do?”

She lifted her chin. “I told the prince I wanted to stay with you.”

“You did what ?” He winced as pain squeezed his head. “Why the hell would you do that?”

“Because. I wasn’t sure how hurt you were, and—” She swallowed audibly. “I didn’t know what else to do.”

“You should’ve demanded to leave. This is between him and me. Having you here just fucks things up.”

“Maybe. And maybe not. In my vision, you came to the court alone—and you died, damn it.” Her voice broke. She took a jagged breath. “You need me, Adric Savonett. Why won’t you believe me?” Tears glimmered on her face.

Hell, now he’d made her cry. “Rosana…” He touched her wet cheek, but she growled and buried her head in her knees.

“Hey.” He set a tentative hand on her back. “I’m sorry, okay? Just…don’t cry.”

“For your information,” she said to her legs, “I did demand to leave—more than once. The prince wouldn’t give me a straight answer. He was playing with me. Then you got here and you got hurt—bad. You were out cold, for Deus ’s sake. And you think I should’ve just left you with them?”

He heaved a breath. “C’mere.”

She scowled but allowed him to guide her back to his shoulder.

“I’m sorry, love.” He kissed her temple. “I just hate like hell that you got dragged into this.”

She gave a tight nod. “There is something,” she said, low-voiced. “On the way here, I called on Cleia for help, and I’m pretty sure she heard me. We were still in southern Maryland, so they may not realize Luc was bringing me here. But at least they’ll know I’m not in Baltimore.”

“That’s good. But why would they think you’re in Baltimore?”

“I left Dion and Cleia a note saying I was coming to you.”

His brows flew up. “You told Dion? About us?”

“Yep.” Her full mouth set in stubborn lines. “I’m not going to sneak around to be with you.”

“Rosana…”

“I mean it. If you want me, it’s got to be out in the open.”

“But I told you—”

“You want me. You’re not going to tell me last night didn’t mean something.”

“No.” He tightened his arms around her. He just couldn’t do it. It would be a lie, and besides, he couldn’t hurt her like that. Not when she was locked in this fucking cell because of him. “You know it did.”

“Okay, then.” He hadn’t realized how stiff she was holding herself until she relaxed and curled closer, one arm resting on his stomach, the other around his back in a loose hug. He sucked in a breath when she pressed a tender spot on his lower abdomen.

“Sorry.” She tried to pull away, but he kept her where she was.

“No, stay. I like you close.”

“Me too.” A pause, and then she added in a small voice. “It makes me less scared.”

His heart lurched. “Don’t be scared. You’ll get out of here—soon. I promise.”

“Not without you.”

He tugged a long black curl. “Are you this much trouble to Dion?”

He felt her grin against his shoulder. “More.”

“Never thought I’d feel sorry for the man.”

She chuckled, and then laughed aloud when her stomach rumbled immediately after. “Sorry.”

“You’re hungry.” He stroked his palm down the delicate knobs of her spine. “Why didn’t you grab something this morning? There was cereal in the cabinet.”

“I didn’t have time,” she said sweetly. Too sweetly.

“Oh.”

“Yeah. You snuck out on me, asshole.”

He moved uncomfortably. “You were asleep. I figured we’d said our goodbyes.”

“Yeah, right. You were afraid I’d talk you into taking me with you.”

“Not because I don’t want you. It’s because I don’t want you hurt .”

A low growl. “Stop trying to protect me. I can take care of myself.”

“Against another fada, maybe. But these are fae. You saw the kind of power the prince has.”

“So what makes you think you can beat him? You’re a fada, too.”

“Because, damn it, I don’t care about me.” He gripped her shoulders, gave her shake. “But if something happened to you, I’d fucking break. I’ve lost too many people. I can’t lose you. I won’t lose you.”

Her eyes widened. “You do love me.”

His gaze slid from hers. His mouth opened, closed. Because he couldn’t bring himself to deny it. What else could this hot ache crowding his chest be?

“That’s okay.” She snuggled closer again. “I can wait for you to say it.”

After that, they fell asleep, spooned on the bench together, his front to her back. But sometime in their dreams, they turned to each other. Adric woke with his hand on Rosana’s breast, his tongue deep in her mouth. He was much better, his battered body nearly healed.

Rosana’s eyes were closed but she was sucking on his tongue.

“Angel?” He nuzzled her neck. “You awake?”

“Mm-hmm.” She tugged at the hem of the borrowed shirt.

He dragged it off and removed his pants while she wriggled out of her own clothes.

He made a rough bed of their clothing on the stone floor and laid her down on it before coming over her.

She moaned and bent her legs up. But even with their clothes as a cushion, he was conscious of the hard rock beneath her.

He rolled onto his side, taking her with him.

She bent up a leg, rested it on his thigh. His cock brushed against her warm nest of hair, and he closed his eyes in pleasure.

“You’re better?” She touched the bump on his temple.

He nodded. “I have a small healing Gift. I had to draw on my quartz, though, so I won’t be able to shift for a few hours.”

She traced the scruff on his jaw. “You know, I still haven’t seen your cougar.”

“He’s here.” And wide awake.

“He is?” She looked deep into his eyes before giving a satisfied nod. “So’s my dolphin.”

“Did I tell you how pretty she is?” He turned his head, sucked her wandering finger into his mouth.

Her breath hitched. “Uh-uh.”

He rolled his tongue around her finger before releasing it to wrap his arms around her. “She’s strong, graceful. Like you.”

“You think?” She scooted closer, plastering that long, curvy body against his.

“Yeah.” He smoothed a hand down her ass. Damn, she had a fine butt, round and firm, the skin like satin.

She nibbled on his earlobe, teasing the gold stud with her tongue.

“In the summer,” she said, as if there was no doubt whatsoever that they’d both escape the night fae, “we have to go for a swim together. My dolphin’s skin is very sensitive—she’ll want to rub all over you. You wouldn’t mind, would you?”

His dick jumped. Mind? The thought of a wet, naked Rosana rubbing all over him sounded like his idea of paradise.

“No,” he managed to say. “I wouldn’t mind at all. As long as you promise to swim with me as a human, too.”

“It’s a deal.”

“Naked.”

A throaty chuckle. “Oh, I will be. I love to feel the water flowing over my bare skin.”

He swore. “Have mercy, woman.”

She gave a gleeful laugh—and pressed her mouth to his. When his lips parted, her tongue slid in, just a bit, sending a hot shiver down his spine.

She teased him with small tastes and nips until he groaned and sucked her tongue deeper. Kissing the breath out of her—and himself as well. Even in the dank, musty cell, her scent had a hint of fresh water.

When he finally came up for oxygen, she drew a serrated breath. Her eyes seared into his, the deep blue streaked with sea-green. “I love you.”

His heart stumbled. “Rosana. I can’t—”

“I’m not asking you to mate-claim me. But I wanted you to know. In case—” She moved a shoulder.

His stomach fisted. “Nothing’s going to happen to you,” he bit out. “You’ll be out of here in a day, maybe two. I’ll make it happen.”

He speared his fingers into her hair, drawing back her head to press love-bites to her throat. She moaned and angled her head to give him better access. One hand came up to his nape, urging him closer. Her back arched, pressing her pelvis into his.

Electricity danced over his skin. He felt feverish, needy.

“Come into me,” she murmured. “Now.”

His throat worked. “Can’t. No protection.”

“Adric. I love you. And I would love any pup—or cub—we made.”

She reached down and guided his cock into her, and the gods help him, he didn’t stop her.

Because he felt the same way.

She was slick, hot. She gasped and clenched her inner muscles around him. Pleasure rocketed to his balls.

He clamped his teeth together, resisting the urge to pound into her. Instead, he dragged her bent leg higher on his hip so that he was rubbing right against her clit and rocked slowly in and out.

Drawing out the pleasure. Teasing them both.

Her arms tightened around him. “I love you,” she repeated in a fierce whisper.

He faltered, swallowed.

Never had he heard those words from a lover.

While Leron was still alive, he’d stuck to casual, no-strings-attached hook-ups. He couldn’t risk anything more—Leron would’ve used any woman he cared for against him.

After he’d become alpha, he’d been too busy, his hold on the clan too shaky. Especially that first year, when he’d not only been working day and night to heal his fractured people, he’d had to fight off multiple challenges.

And then he’d seen Rosana at the sun fae ball, a vision in a sexy little dress the brilliant blues and greens of a peacock’s feathers, her shiny black curls tumbling down her back…

Her eyelids drifted down. Her soft lips parted as she sank deeper into pleasure.

His cat bristled restively, hungry to lay its wild heart at her feet.

My woman.

My mate.

Mine.

He swallowed the words, although it hurt not to let them out. He was a killer, a man who’d cornered his own uncle in a dark alley and slit his throat. So what if he’d done it to save Marjani? It still shadowed his soul.

Someone like Rosana deserved so much better than him.

But too fucking bad.

Deep inside him, something moved, opened. In that moment, he understood what the cat had known for years. Some things were meant to happen. A man could only fight fate for so long.

If they got out of this alive, he was mate-claiming Rosana do Rio.

Whether her brother liked it or not. Whether his clan agreed or not.

Sinking his fingers into her hair, he tugged her head back and set his mouth to the silken skin of her throat.

“Mine,” he rasped. “I’m not claiming you—yet—but when I do, you’ll say yes.”

Her full lips curved. “Haven’t you figured it out? I already have.”