Page 67 of Enchanted with the Orc
He caressed me like I was breakable—crystal in his hands. He followed the line of my arm, my belly and my hips. His touch wasa little hungry, a tad desperate, a smidge disbelieving and quite a bit satisfied.
“I’ll clean you up soon, I promise,” he murmured against my skin. “Just let me… touch you, okay?”
I nodded with a happy, sated smile, running my fingers down his skin, touching him as well. After a moment, a thought penetrated my brain, stealing my style and making me hesitate before I touched him again.
Chapter Thirty-seven
Enka
Small sparks of pleasure were still skittering across my nerves as I lay with my mate, grateful that she was still plastered against me, her scent mingled with mine strong in my nose. It was heady—addictive.
I pushed her hair away from her face and she looked up at me with sleepy eyes, blinking at me, but instead of the sweet satisfaction I’d seen inher eyes before, there was something else there. Worry.
“Hey,” I murmured, leaning down to press a kiss to her lips, gentle with her now after I’d been so rough. “What’s wrong?”
Her lips parted a few times, but nothing came out. Whatever it was, she didn’t want to talk about it. That meant that it involved her fuckhead husband.
“Did you know…” she started, squeezing her eyes shut, as if she wasn’t able to look at me. “That I’m still married?”
I tensed against her, my gut roaring with the need to find that unworthy male and rip him to shreds. To kill him so that she didn’t have a single thing linking her to him.
The look in her eyes told me that that wasn’t the reaction she needed though. She was searching my face as if gauging how I was dealing with the news and I couldn’t show her anger. She’d think it was aimed at her when that was the furthest thing from the truth.
He’d targeted her. My sweet, perfect mate had been a victim of David, and he’d continued to abuse her until she’d left. I was so proud of her.So fucking proudthat she’d found a way out of the cycle.
Instead of answering with words—which I was certain wouldn’t be helpful in this situation—I nodded, twining my fingers with hers. There was a little spark of hope in her eyes now, and a small, tremulous smile appeared on her lips.
“I want to get a divorce,” she said, taking a deep breath and releasing it.
I didn’t allow the punch of joy that I was feeling show. This wasn’t about me or my possessiveness. This was about her and I was going to support whatever she wanted to do.
“I… have pictures of everything,” she murmured, ducking her eyes as if she wasn’t able to look at me while talking about it. I didn’t force her, letting her seek comfort in my touch instead. “So I want to go to the police and file for a restraining order. I thought…” She shook her head as she trailed off, before clearing her throat and trying again. “I thought that if I did that, he’d find Gabbi and I, but now, I just want to get him out of my life.”
She looked at me now, her smile clear and sure. “And I want to start a new one with you. I think it’s time to start over,” she murmured and I couldn’t stop my grin this time.
I pulled her hard against me, hugging her close and her arms wrapped around my neck, squeezing me tight.
“I’m so happy to hear that,” I told her. “I can help you with anything you need, and I’ll protect you and Gabbi.”
“I know,” she murmured, tears in her voice. “That’s why I feel safe to do it now. Even if he finds me, I know you won’t let anything happen to our daughter.”
“Or you, my mate. He’s never going to touch you again,” I assured her, burying my fingers in her hair and pressing my lips to hers, kissing her with all the love I felt for her.
She was perfect. So strong, so beautiful and still so kind. I didn’t know who’d blessed me by granting her to me as a mate, but I’d forever be grateful to them.
She kissed me then, as if I was the most precious thing to her. Cupping my cheeks and caressing my lips with hers. Her tongue took a slow, savoring foray of my mouth and I stayed still, basking in her affection.
She pulled away, searching my face and I swallowed hard, wondering what she was going to say. Hoping, praying.
“I love you,” she murmured and the punch to my gut of her words had me exhaling a slow, wheezing breath.
I grabbed her, making her yelp, squeezing her against me and murmuring grateful prayers against her hair in Orcish. A lifetime of being alone had led me to her. I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.
“I love you so much,” I told her, pressing kisses to her hair, neck and shoulder, paying special attention to my mating mark on her neck. “So fucking much.”
She was beaming when she pulled away to kiss me.
“Gabbi’s going to say I told you so,” she giggled, snuggling against my chest and resting her head in the crook of my neck—fitting me as if she was always meant to be there.
