His hands move to my thighs, gripping them tightly as he helps me move, his hips driving up into me with a force that makes me cry out. My fingers curl against his chest, my nails digging into his skin. His eyes are dark, filled with a hunger that matches my own, and the sight of him—his body beneath me, his muscles taut with restraint—sends a wave of heat crashing through me.

“I’m close,” he growls, his voice barely more than a whisper. His hands slide up my body, cupping my face, his thumbs brushing against my cheeks. “Let go, Aurelie. Let me feel you.”

I nod, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I feel the tension within me reaching its peak. My body tightens around him, and I cry out as pleasure bursts through me, overwhelming and all-consuming. Rolfo groans, his hands moving to my hips as he slams me down onto him, driving into me with a force that sends me over the edge again.

His arms wrap around me, holding me tightly against him, his breathing ragged against my ear. His hand moves to the back of my head, his fingers tangling in my hair as he presses a kiss to the top of my head.

“Aurelie,” he murmurs, his voice soft, almost reverent. “You’re mine. Always mine.”

I don’t respond, unable to find the words. Instead, I press my face into the crook of his neck, breathing in the warm, spicy scent of his skin. My heartbeat slows, matching the steady rhythm of his, and I feel a sense of peace settle over me—a quiet contentment that I’ve never known before.

His hand moves to my back, tracing lazy circles against my skin. The silence between us is comfortable, filled with unspoken words and the weight of everything we’ve shared. His touch is gentle now, almost hesitant, as though he’s afraid I’ll disappear if he holds on too tightly.

“I love you,” he whispers, his voice barely audible against the stillness of the room.

The words send a warmth through me, and I press a kiss to his neck, my lips brushing against his skin. “I love you too,” I murmur, my voice soft, but filled with conviction.

He exhales sharply, his arms tightening around me, and I feel the tension in his body ease. His hand moves to my face, tilting my chin up so that our eyes meet. His silver gaze is filled with something I can’t name—something tender and raw that makes my chest ache.

“You’re everything to me,” he says, his voice rough, filled with emotion. “Everything.”

I don’t have the words to respond, so I kiss him instead, pouring everything I feel into the touch of my lips against his. His hand tangles in my hair, and he deepens the kiss, his tongue brushing against mine with a slow, deliberate intensity. My body responds instinctively, arching against his, and he groans softly, his hips shifting beneath me.

His hands move to my thighs, gripping them tightly as he helps me move, his hips driving up into me with a force that makes me cry out. My fingers curl against his chest, my nails digging into his skin. His eyes are dark, filled with a hunger that matches my own, and the sight of him—his body beneath me, his muscles taut with restraint—sends a wave of heat crashing through me.

“Rolfo,” I whisper, my voice trembling. “Don’t stop.”

His hands move to my thighs, gripping them tightly as he helps me move, his hips driving up into me with a force that makes me cry out. My fingers curl against his chest, my nails digging into his skin. His eyes are dark, filled with a hunger that matches my own, and the sight of him—his body beneath me, his muscles taut with restraint—sends a wave of heat crashing through me.

I’m close again, teetering on the edge of bliss, and I can feel Rolfo losing control beneath me, his movements becoming more erratic, his grip on my hips tightening. He groans, his head falling back against the pillows, his eyes closing for a moment before they snap open, locking on mine.

“Aurelie,” he growls, his voice strained. “I can’t?—”

“Let go,” I whisper, my voice trembling as I lean forward, pressing my lips to his. "I want you to fill me."

His body stiffens beneath me, his hips slamming into me with a force that sends me over the edge again. I cry out, my body tightening around him as he fills me, his release warm and deep within me. I collapse against his chest, my body trembling as the aftershocks of pleasure ripple through me.

He holds me tightly, his arms wrapping around me as though he’s afraid I’ll disappear if he lets go. His breathing is ragged against my ear, his heart pounding beneath my cheek.

“You’re mine,” he murmurs, his voice soft, almost reverent. “Always mine.”

And that's all I want to be.

28

ROLFO

Istand back, leaning against the stone wall of Dezoth's garden, watching the scene unfold with a feeling I'm still not entirely used to—contentment. The garden buzzes with the unmistakable energy of late spring—sunshine warming the earth, the sweet scent of blooming aracin blossoms drifting over from the ornamental beds that Ada has transformed over these past months.

Rose's laughter cuts through the air as she darts across the lush grass, her honey-blonde curls bouncing with each step. She's grown taller since I first met her, her movements more confident as she chases after a thalivern. The creature's iridescent wings catch the sunlight, flashing blue-green as it dances just beyond her reach.

"I'm gonna catch you!" Rose declares, her violet eyes—so much like Sephy's—wide with determination. She lunges forward, hands cupped, but the thalivern drifts higher, causing Rose to tumble forward onto the grass.

For a moment, I tense, ready to move, but before I can, she's already scrambling back to her feet, undeterred.

"They're tricky," Dezoth says from his position at the edge of the trees. His arms are folded across his chest in what would normally be an imposing stance, but the rare smile softening his usually stern features transforms him. "Try approaching more slowly."

Rose nods seriously at his advice, her tiny face scrunching in concentration as she changes tactics, creeping forward with exaggerated stealth that has Ada stifling a laugh from her spot in the shade.