Page 21 of Merciless Is My Crown

ANARIA

Ikept the sheet wrapped around me as Tristan stalked through, presumably heated the water in the bath, then stalked back out with the same arrogant determination not to look over at me, completely ignoring my murmured thank you on his way out.

The second that door closed I slipped inside the humid bathroom, took a deep inhale of the steam spiraling up from the gold-footed tub, and tossed the sheet to the side. Sliding in, the water encased my body in delicious velvety heat, sinking into every aching muscle, soothing away the terror of these past hours.

The only soap was old and dried but still smelled faintly of sandalwood, and ten minutes later, I combed my fingers through my now-clean hair, bubbles hugging the tub’s edges.

I inspected my legs, covered in fresh, pink skin, still tender but intact. I resolved right then to do something nice for Bexley tomorrow. If Torin hadn’t already sent him away. I rested my head on the tub’s rim and closed my eyes, letting the silence sink in.

I wouldn’t have heard him if not for the slight groan of unoiled hinges.

The soft pad of bare feet was undetectable; he moved so smoothly even the air in the room didn’t change, a miracle of sorts, given how big he was.

I sank deeper into the water when Tavion leaned back against the sink, a lock of silver hair escaping his leather band, darkening eyes flicking over me with an experienced male’s frank assessment, and for the first time since I’d met him, a shiver of apprehension went through me.

My nipples pebbled at the raw hunger written in his gaze, and instead of holding my emotions in check, I gave myself over to them. Let myself get eaten alive by those beautiful green eyes, let myself devour every inch of his muscled torso, the way his powerful arms flexed as he braced himself on the sink, and how his thighs bulged against the confines of those thin breeches.

His throat moved, the only thing that broke the absolute stillness of his body.

“I thought you were dead.” Tavion’s rough, low voice thrummed with a thousand unsaid things, and then it was my turn to swallow.

“Well, because of you, I’m alive. Because you got me here in time, Tavion.” Somehow, I knew he needed to hear those words. Needed to know he’d played a part in saving me. “And now we’re even. Again.”

I was too fucking naked right now, pinned beneath his predator’s stare, vulnerable with no place to hide except behind these fast-disappearing bubbles, and the only towel…was right next to Tavion.

As if he read my mind, his mouth curled slightly at the corners.

“What if I don’t want to be even?” He prowled up to the tub, no sound in the room except my own panicked breathing. “What if I like you owing me? What if I like having something to hold over your head?”

“Then I suppose you’ll have to do something else heroic to impress me,” I snapped, not sure why I was so godsdamned off-kilter. “I was enjoying myself, for your information, before you barged in here. Where are Raz and Zor?”

He settled his hip on the tub and—gods help me—dipped a hand in, swirling the water, his fingertips inches from touching bare skin.

“Sleeping somewhere else tonight. We made a deal, you see.” His eyes locked onto mine. Held.

“What…what do you mean?”

“I’ve waited for you for so godsdamned long, Anaria. So fucking long, and I’m tired of waiting. So Raz and Zor are sleeping somewhere else tonight. And you have me to yourself.” His hand drifted closer, bubbles lapping at my chest. “If that is what you want.”

Another one of those hard, desperate swallows, and I wondered…was Tavion Montgomery nervous?

“When I almost…lost you, the only thing I thought of was how much fucking time we’d wasted. Days. Weeks. Months.”

Another swirl, his fingers grazing my knee this time, sending heat zinging through me.

“You never get wasted time back, Anaria. All those missed chances are just…gone forever.”

The last bubbles disappeared and a flush of shyness came over me. I laid my arm over my breasts, but he caught my wrist.

“A simple yes or no, wife.” I couldn’t look away, because he stared at me like everything he’d ever wanted was right in front of him.

“No, and I’ll leave you be. We go on our way, and I’ll wait for you to make the next move. But know this. I’ll wait for however long that takes, even if it’s ten years.” The way he said those words—like he was handing me over a piece of his heart—brought down any last reservations I had.

I stopped breathing at the look that came over his face.

Pure, undiluted want.

“Say yes, and I’ll take you to bed right now. Make this marriage of ours real.” The water around me rippled, his grip tightening until all I felt was the squeeze of his warm flesh against mine.

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