Page 17 of An Archer's Redemption

He slid in, just a bit more.

“Fuck, Dec, get inside me.”

He slid all the way in.

“Ow!”

“You said—”

“Shut up and fuck me.”

So he did.

When we were both spent, and the magic of the wine failed to revive us for a repeat performance, I lay with my head on Declan’s chest, his fingers stroking my hair. We refused to dress, preferring the coolness of the cavern and warmth of each other’s touch to the feel of fabric.

“Where did all that come from earlier?” He kissed my head.

“All what?” I asked drearily.

“That horse shit about you being nothing.”

“Oh, that.” I nuzzled my cheek against his chest and breathed in his scent, the tang of the sea mixed with his mother’s lavender bath oils. “I do not know. I was being ridiculous. There is no need—”

“There is every need.” He lifted my chin so he could look into my eyes. “You are everything to me, Ayden. Without you, I would never have made it this far. I would never be able to handle all the stares and questions and . . . shit . . . everything else that comes with being . . . whatever I am. You are the reason I can do most everything. Without you, I am nothing. You hear me?”

I blinked away a pesky tear. I would not let him see me cry. I would not.

It trickled down my cheek.

He wiped it away with a thumb.

Dammit.

“I do not deserve you, Declan Rea.”

“Clearly not.” He smirked, then kissed my head, then held our foreheads pressed together.

“I love you, lordling, now and always.”

His words were a comfort, his touch a salve.

And yet, the roiling of my soul would not relent.

Chapter 6

Keelan

Istared at Atikus as he closed his eyes and created a Telepathic link. He agreed to speak his words aloud so I could listen in on the one-way mental communication, but even with that assurance, I wrung my dusty blue cap as his words tumbled out.

“Jess, it’s Atikus . . .” he spoke aloud and mentally at once.

Moments later, Atikus opened his eyes.

His shoulders slumped.

“Telepathy isn’t usually so exhausting,” he said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“What made that so hard?”

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