Page 47

CHAPTER 47

CILLIAN

I carry her into our bedroom, lowering her onto the mattress, my lips never leaving hers as I strip away her clothes, then slide out of my own.

The heat of her bare skin against mine is a fucking brand, scorching into me, making it impossible to think of anything but her.

Her hands are everywhere—gripping, pulling, desperate—as though she needs to feel every inch of me. I kiss her slow, like I’ve got all the time in the world to remind her that she’s mine. Our bodies press together, fitting in a way that feels just right, like we were built for this.

Dragging back just enough to look at her, I skim my knuckles down her cheek, my jaw tight.

“I’m sorry.” My voice is filled with everything I can’t put into words. “I’ll never hurt you again, Dinara. I swear.”

“I know.” Her gentle palm clasps my cheek, her touch like the antidote to the hell I’ve endured every day without her.

When her mouth strokes mine, I groan, sliding my fingers into her hair, holding her closer. My cock nudges into her, and I feel myself come undone.

“You’re mine, always, for the rest of my life.”

And with a single thrust, I’m inside her, my mouth crashing with hers, swallowing every gasp and every cry.

Her nails dip into my back as my hips drive into her, needing to claim, to own, to make her feel everything I feel in my heart. She tugs at my hair, kissing me with equal savagery.

I never thought we’d get here, to a place where she’d even consider forgiving me, but I’ll spend the rest of my life proving I deserve this. Proving I deserve her .

I flip her onto her stomach, my body forcing her into the mattress as I sink deeper. Her soft curves mold against me, her back arching as she takes every inch.

“Fuck, baby,” I groan, my hips pounding into her. “You take me so damn good.”

Her body is so tight, so wet, sucking me in, clenching around me like she never wants to let go.

“I love you, Dinara.”

She gasps as I tilt her chin with the back of my hand, needing her to see it, to know this isn’t just a heat-of-the-moment confession. It’s the truth.

“I didn’t realize how much I loved you until you were gone. And I’ve loved you for too long now to wait another second to say it.”

Her eyes gleam and her lips tremble, like she wants to say it too. But before she can speak, I shake my head.

“No.” I slowly rock inside her. “Not yet. Not until you know you mean it.”

Before she can say a word, my mouth finds hers, kissing her deeply, like it’s the only thing keeping me alive.

I take her faster, my need taking over until her body starts to shake, and I know she’s close. Her cries echo across my lips, her walls pulsing around me, milking me. But I don’t stop. I go harder.

When I pitch back, I watch her come undone, the way her back bows, her mouth parting on a silent scream.

“Cillian!” My name rips from her lips, her body clenching around me as she shatters, taking me with her.

But I’m not done. Before she can catch her breath, I flip her over and move down her body, kissing along the path as I spread her thighs apart, her cunt pink and swollen. I latch my mouth around her, sucking her clit, and her nails dig into my scalp.

“Oh God,” she gasps, shaking her head, her hands weakly pushing at my head. “I can’t go again.”

I smirk against her, gripping her thighs and drawing her closer as her legs tremble around me.

“You can,” I murmur against her slick heat. “And you will.”

With a growl, I pin her thighs down on the mattress, taking what belongs to me. My tongue sinks inside her while she pulls at my hair, her back bowing as she cries, desperate for another release.

This time, when I flick my tongue over her, she shatters, writhing beneath me, her release soaking me. Knowing I’m the one who made her squirt like that fills me with maddening possessiveness.

I climb over her, taking her lips in a fierce kiss before flipping her onto me. My grip tightens around her hips as I drag her over my cock.

“Ride me, baby. Take what’s yours. Make me come inside that perfect pussy.”

She lets out a shaky moan, grinding her clit against my length, teasing us both. My hand finds her throat, applying just enough pressure to make her eyes darken with need.

“So fucking beautiful,” I groan, my hips arching up, her wet core making me insane. “Use me. Take what’s yours, a ghra.”

Her fingers grip my chest as she lifts herself just enough, the head of my erection breaching her entrance. Slowly, she sinks down, inch by inch, stretching around me, her gaze locked on mine as she takes every last inch.

“That’s it. Take it all.”

My restraint wavers, every muscle in my body coiled as she rolls her hips, riding me like she owns me. My fingers flex around her throat, my control slipping with every twist of her hips.

She chases her release, a wild look in her gaze. When it crashes over her, I flip her beneath me, hooking her legs over my shoulders. I drive into her, pounding roughly, lost to the madness of her. Our bodies move in perfect sync, until the pleasure consumes us both.

With a guttural growl, I give her everything, burying myself to the hilt, my orgasm surging through me as I fill her with it, my eyes fastened to hers.

And in this moment, nothing else exists. Nothing but the two of us.

* * *

DINARA

“I’ve never been on a horse before.” I cling to him the next morning, scared shitless. “What if I fall?”

He tugs my hand into one of his, bringing my knuckles to his mouth. “I’d never let you fall, leannan.”

“You promise?” I bite the corner of my mouth, emotions clinging to my throat as I get lost in the genuineness of his affection.

“Of course, baby.”

And I believe him. The strength of his body is a safety net against my fear, his steady presence calming the nerves buzzing beneath my skin. Plus, it doesn’t hurt how sexy he looks in a pair of jeans.

The beautiful white horse beneath us shifts, sensing my hesitation, but Cillian’s grip remains firm over mine.

“Relax, Dinara. She won’t hurt you.” His words are rich with patience.

I exhale, slowly loosening my death grip on him. The late morning sun spills across the vast open fields, bathing everything in gold. Out here, it’s just us—the cadenced sound of the horse’s hooves against the earth, the rustling of the wind through the trees, the soft hum of nature embracing us in its stillness.

He nudges the horse forward, and I squeeze my eyes shut as we start moving.

“You doing okay, baby?”

I huff out a breath, my stomach flipping as if I’m about to plummet down a roller coaster. “Not so much.”

He laughs, deep and rich, the sound vibrating through me. “You’re doing great.”

He guides us smoothly across the field, and little by little, I relax, trusting him. Trusting that he meant it—he won’t let me fall. Soon, I ease into the rhythm, the tension in my muscles fading as we ride along the fence line. A rush of exhilaration courses through me.

“I think I like this.”

Cillian grins, twisting slightly to glance back at me. “Told you.”

We ride for what feels like forever, lost in the beauty of the open land and each other, until he finally slows the horse and dismounts, helping me down with ease. His hands settle on my waist, his touch lingering as his gaze deepens, pulling me into the quiet intensity between us.

“I have a surprise for you.” He takes my hand, leading me toward a shaded spot beneath a towering oak tree.

A checkered blanket is spread out, a picnic basket sitting in the center.

My heart swells, warmth spilling into my chest. “You planned this?”

He tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear, his touch slow and deliberate. “Wanted to do something special for my girl.”

My girl.

The words wrap around me, setting my pulse into an eager pace. This life, these last few days…it’s everything I once dreamed of for us. And now, it’s really happening.

We lower onto the blanket, the sun kissing our skin as he pulls out food: slices of cheese, bread, fresh berries. Simple, yet perfect. He feeds me a piece of strawberry, his gaze steady, eyes brimming with something unspoken, something deeper. As I take it between my lips, my glance drifts to the bracelet he once gave me, now wrapped around my wrist, exactly where it belongs.

“I want to try,” I confess as I gaze out at the peaceful stretch of land before turning to meet his eyes. “I want to trust you again. I want a life with you. A future. A family.”

Each word carries a piece of me, raw and exposed, as if I’m handing him my heart and hoping he won’t break it again.

“I don’t want to run anymore.”

I want to love you…

Cillian stills, something unreadable flashing across his face. Then, slowly, he cradles my cheek, his thumb stroking my skin as his lips pull into a genuine smile. “I don’t wanna run either.”

A lump forms in my throat, and I blink against the sting of tears. Leaning into his touch, I let myself savor the warmth of his arms wrapping around me like he has no intention of ever letting me go. I don’t want him to either.

“I promise, I’m not going anywhere.”

As his knuckles brush across my jaw, his mouth meeting mine, I let myself believe him. That maybe this time, we can have this. That his promises aren’t just empty words, but truths he’s carving into existence. Our kiss is slow, unhurried, steeped in devotion and quiet longing.

When Cillian pulls back, his green eyes flicker with a storm of emotions: love, passion, an unspoken determination to make this work. I can feel it in every fiber of his being.

His thumb gently strokes my cheek before a low groan rumbles from his lips. “Damn, I forgot I have to fly out for a meeting tomorrow morning.” His expression tightens with frustration and regret. “I swear, I wish I didn’t have to go, but Tynan needs me.”

“Oh…”

The disappointment comes quicker than I expect, settling deep in my chest. It’s not the end of the world. He’ll be back. But after finally letting myself have him, the thought of waking up without him beside me leaves an ache in its place.

“A few days at most,” he assures me, his fingers tightening around mine. “I wouldn’t leave unless it was necessary.”

I search his face and smile, kissing the corner of his mouth.

“Oh, Prince Cillian, I’m utterly disappointed,” I tease, and he chuckles, flipping me until I’m lying across the blanket, his body conforming to mine.

He rolls his hips, his hardness pressing into me, igniting that dark and needy side of me. His hand skims down between us, tugging up my dress and sliding my panties to the side.

“How shall I ever beg for your forgiveness, Princess Dinara?”

“I can think of a way.” Reaching between us, my palm presses against his cock.

He growls when I stroke him, but it doesn’t last. Ripping my hand away, his mouth descends down my body until he’s throwing a leg over his shoulder, hunger flashing in his eyes.

“So can I.” His gaze meets mine, a finger hooking into my thong and pulling it to the side, exposing me to his greedy stare.

My hand tangles in his soft strands, and then his tongue slices through my core, circling around my clit, until I’m lost to him. Lost to the feelings only he can bring out in me.

And in this moment, as the sun warms our skin and his body worships mine, I realize something undeniable.

I don’t just want this life with him. I need it.