Page 52 of Demon Daddy's Nanny

"Annalise." Ridwan's tone carries a warning, but his eyes shine with affection.

"What? It did!" She crosses her arms. "This one's much better. More Eva."

My heart swells. This fierce, sometimes prickly girl who'd slowly become like a daughter to me had helped craft this moment. She'd wanted it to be perfect - for both of us.

I meet Ridwan's intense golden gaze, my heart thundering against my ribs. "Yes," I breathe, the word carrying all the love and certainty I feel.

In one fluid motion, he rises and pulls me against his chest. His wings sweep forward, cocooning us in warmth and golden light. The ring slides onto my finger, its metal cool but quickly warming to my skin. The inlaid gold swirls pulse in time with my racing heart.

His lips claim mine, deep and steady, pouring years of longing and promise into the kiss. Heat floods my veins as his fingers tangle in my hair, tilting my head back. His other handpresses against my lower back, molding me to him until I can feel every hard plane of his body.

"You were always meant to be mine," he murmurs against my skin, his voice rough with emotion. The words vibrate through me, settling deep in my bones. This time, there's no doubt clouding my mind, no whispers of unworthiness. I believe him with every fiber of my being.

I curl my fingers into the fabric of his shirt, anchoring myself to this moment. "I love you," I whisper back, tasting the truth of the words on my tongue. "I love you so much it terrifies me sometimes."

His grip tightens, possessive and protective all at once. The scar on his cheek catches shadows as he pulls back just enough to look into my eyes, letting me see the raw vulnerability in his gaze. Gone is the distant warrior, the cold leader. This is my Ridwan, stripped bare of all his carefully constructed walls.

"Finally!" Annalise's excited squeal breaks through our bubble. "Now can we have cake? I convinced the kitchen to make Eva's special recipe—the one with the berry filling that bleeds like blood when you cut it."

31

EVA

Islip into our bedroom, my footsteps quiet against the polished stone floor. Ridwan stands at the window, a dark silhouette against the setting sun. His wings are half-spread, golden feathers catching the dying light, but tension runs through every line of his body. Even without seeing his face, I know that muscle in his jaw is working - the way it always does when something weighs on his mind.

Tomorrow is our binding ceremony, and it seems to have set him on edge. Three months of planning, of whispers and stares, of proving that none of that matters to either of us. But none of that matters now. Not when he's carrying the weight of the world on those broad shoulders.

I cross the room, breathing in his familiar scent and finding that it helps me relax instantly. My arms slide around his waist, palms pressing against the firm plane of his stomach. He doesn't startle - he never does - but some of the rigidity melts from his spine as I press my cheek between his shoulder blades.

His wings shift, curling forward to create a golden cocoon around us both. It's become his unconscious habit lately, this protective gesture that shields us from the world. One of hishands covers mine, rough calluses catching against my baker's scars.

The scar on his cheek catches shadows as the sun dips lower, that mark from a battle he still won't talk about. Sometimes I wonder if he'll ever share all his secrets, all the centuries of memories locked behind those golden eyes. But for now, I'm content to hold him, to be the safe harbor he never had before.

Ridwan shifts in my embrace, turning to face me. The dying sunlight catches the sharp angles of his face, throwing that scar into stark relief. His golden eyes search mine, filled with an intensity that makes my breath catch.

"What's wrong?" My fingers trace the line of his jaw, feeling the tension there.

"Are you certain about this?" His voice is rough, like he's been holding these words back. "The binding - being tied to me for eternity. There's no undoing it once it's done."

A laugh bubbles up in my chest, but I swallow it down. Trust him to doubt this now, after everything we've been through. After all the nights spent learning each other's broken pieces, all the moments where his touch made me feel more alive than I ever thought possible.

"Ridwan." I cup his face between my palms, thumbs brushing over his cheekbones. "I've never been more certain of anything in my life."

The words barely leave my lips before he's moving, one hand tangling in my hair while the other pulls me flush against him. His mouth claims mine with a desperation that steals my breath. There's nothing gentle about this kiss - it's all need and heat and barely contained power. His wings curl tighter around us, blocking out the last rays of sun until all I can see, feel, taste is him.

I arch into him, fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt. He tastes like smoke and something darker, something thatreminds me of storm clouds gathering on the horizon. His grip on my waist tightens, and I feel the slight tremor in his hands - the only outward sign of how much control he's maintaining.

When he finally breaks the kiss, his forehead rests against mine. Some of the tension has bled from his shoulders, replaced by something softer, more vulnerable. It's a side of him few ever see - the warrior laying down his armor, if only for a moment.

When we break apart, I grin up at him, my chest still rising and falling like I’ve just sprinted across the city. His golden eyes narrow, a flicker of suspicion crossing his face as I sink to my knees. The polished stone is cool beneath me, but I barely notice. My fingers work at the laces of his pants, quick and sure.

If he’s worried, I’ll take his mind off of it.

He sucks in a sharp breath when I free him, his cock heavy and thick in my hand. A low growl rumbles in his chest, and I glance up to see his jaw clenched, his wings twitching like he’s holding back from wrapping them around me again. I don’t give him the chance.

Leaning forward, I take him into my mouth, my tongue sliding along the underside of his shaft. His hand fists in my hair, not pulling, justthere, like he needs to anchor himself. I hum against him, feeling the way his body tenses, the way his hips jerk forward almost involuntarily. He’s all control, even now, but I can feel it fraying at the edges.

His cock fills my mouth, the taste of him sharp and heady. My hand wraps around the base, stroking in rhythm with my lips, and his grip tightens in my hair. A curse slips from his lips, low and guttural, and I glance up to see his eyes darken, the gold now molten. His wings are fully spread now, the feathers trembling slightly, a crack in the armor he so carefully maintains.

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