Page 70 of King

She hesitated before muttering, “It’s the dreams. I don’t want to dream.”

King narrowed his eyes. He knew there was more. He could feel it. “That all that’s bothering you?”

“Yes,” she lied.

He knew it was a lie because she wouldn’t meet his eyes. “Look at me and tell me that’s all that’s bothering you.” He pushed, his voice steady, not backing down.

She rubbed her hands over her face and sighed. “This is fast, King.”

His brows drew together. “What is?”

“Us. Me and you. We hardly know each other.” Her voice wavered, and she looked away again. “And the way I?—”

King straightened. “The way you what?”

Amara dropped her hands, her red-rimmed eyes finally locking onto his. Fear flickered there, raw and real. “The way I feel about you terrifies me,” she blurted before immediately covering her face again.

King’s gut clenched. Every instinct screamed at him to pull her into his arms, to hold her, to tell her she didn’t have to be afraid. But he didn’t. Not yet.

Instead, he kept his voice calm. “Why does it terrify you, Amara?”

Her voice was muffled behind her hands, but he still heard her clearly. “Because I’m an independent woman, dammit.”

He huffed out a quiet laugh. That, he already knew. What she didn’t realize was that her independence wasn’t something he wanted to take away. “That is one thing I admire about you, Amara.” King pulled her hands away from her face. “Do you really think I would take that away from you as if I even could? Is that the kind of man you think I am?”

King watched Amara shake her head, a single tear slipping down her cheek. His chest tightened, but he forced himself to stay still, to let her say what she needed to say.

“No,” she murmured. “That’s not what I mean. I know you would never do that.”

“Good.” His voice was low, firm. But he didn’t push. He wanted her to get it all out and trust him enough to tell him what was really going on inside that stubborn, beautiful head of hers. So, he waited.

She pulled one of her hands free from his grasp and wiped the tear away, then looked up at him with uncertainty in her eyes.

“What happens when this is over? Are you going to walk away, leave me high and dry? Should I even be asking that?” She shook her head, clearly frustrated. “I’m really freaking confused right now. I have been depending on you more than I have dependedon anyone in my life. I don’t want to get hurt, King. And you have the power to hurt me. I’ve only known you for days—not weeks or months—and already…” She trailed off, but he knew. He knew exactly what she was trying to say.

He lifted her effortlessly before she could pull away again and set her on the counter, bringing them eye to eye. His large hands framed her face, forcing her to look at him, to see the truth in his eyes.

“I want you to listen to me and listen good.” His voice was rough with emotion but steady. “When this is over, I’m not going anywhere.”

Her breath hitched, but he didn’t stop.

“A vampire has a Mate, Amara. The first time I laid eyes on you, I knew you were mine. And I told you...You. Are. Mine.” His thumb traced her jaw as he held her gaze. “I don’t say things I don’t mean. Understand this. You have all the power. You think what is between us was fast. Not for me. I’ve been waiting for you for a long time. And there is nothing in this fucked-up world that would ever make me walk away from you.”

Silence stretched between them, thick and heavy, and then slowly, he saw it...the walls she had started to build crack under the weight of his words.

King had never been a man who second-guessed himself, but as he looked into Amara’s eyes, waiting for her response, a sliver of uncertainty crept into his chest.

“So, it wasn’t just the sex that had you saying that I’m yours?” She whispered, biting her lip.

“What?” King’s eyes opened wide in shock. “No! It wasn’t just the sex, but that absolutely helped the situation.” He teased wink, making her grin.

Amara launched herself at him, wrapping her arms and legs around him so tightly he could barely breathe. Not that he cared. She could choke him out for all he cared at that moment.

“I’m sorry, sometimes I get in my own head and well—” She didn’t finish, just shrugged.

“Hey,” He grabbed her chin gently. “I will never walk away from you. I swear it.”

She nodded, biting her lip again, which drove him absolutely insane. “But it was a little bit about the sex?”

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