Page 53 of The King is Dead
He was still frowning, but he stared deep into my eyes, searching me. For deceit? Or his own feelings?
“I love you,” I blurted. “I don't want to lose you. But... if you cannot take meandthe crown, I will let you go.”
He stiffened again. But it was his fingers on me that tightened this time. The bond crackled, thrumming and pulsing between us. Was he fighting it, or drawing closer? I couldn’t tell.
“How would we do it, Yilan?” he hissed. “Two nations at war? How could we possibly rule both?”
“I don't know,” I said honestly. “I just know we would do it together. And there is no one I would trust more to lead us through that.”
He was trembling, staring at me intently. “Truly, Yilan?No one?”
“Truly.”
He glared, then spat a curse and shook his head. “I don’ttrustyou!”
“Melek, you’remine!”I hushed, grabbing for him to stop him turning away. “I won’t make you want me. But you’re the only oneIwa—”
He descended on me with a growl, pillaging my mouth, one hand gripping the back of my neck, the other cupping my face, but the fingers of both clawed and gripping me as if I might try to escape.
Heart thrilling, I kissed him back with the same intensity—and almost cried when he broke the kissagain.
My fingers fisted the front of his shirt and both of us were panting. He searched my eyes, then cursed under his breath and kissed me again, pulled away again.
I wanted to weep and slap him in the same breath. I dropped my hands to my sides, clenching my fists to stop myself hitting him.
“Yilan,” he rasped, “I cannot…” he trailed off.
I wanted to curse. “What? You can’twhat?!”
“I am still angry, Yilan. I love you. You are my mate. I would die to protect you. But I amenraged.”He huffed and shook his head, cursing. “Never lie to me again.Ever.”
“I won’t.”
“Even if you think the truth will anger me,” he pressed.
I already stood between his feet so lifted my hands to rest them on his stomach. “I will never lie to you again, even if I fear your wrath. And I will not leave anything important out, either.”
His shoulders dropped. I slid one hand up his chest, reveling in the warmth of his skin under that soft cotton, the bond thrumming as I felt his heart soften, though there was still a great deal of tension in him. Sliding one palm up to his collarbones, then his neck, I cupped that strong pillar and held him, my heart racing as I shamelessly plastered myself against his body.
He didn’t take his eyes off me, and after a moment his arms wrapped around me, one of his big hands splaying at my back and pulling me closer.
I clung to him. “Melek… it’s been hell—”
“Hell was waking up and thinking you were not who I thought you were,” he rumbled darkly. “Hell is waiting for us on the other side of that door when we walk out, and you tell your people who I am to you.”
“No, Melek—that will be hard. Uncomfortable.Sticky.Dangerous. But I can face any of that as long as you’re with me.”
He grunted and his fingers dug harder into my spine.
“What else do you need, Melek? How can I… bring you back? How can I make you want me again?” I whispered.
His brows pressed down. “Yilan, I never stopped wanting you. That’s the problem. I want you with a fire that would burn down the world—but I amso angrywith you right now.”
I opened my mouth to try and make it light, try and cajole him out of his darkness—but suddenly a shadow flickered at the edge of my vision.
My first thought was that someone had defied my orders and was walking the shadows—but when I turned my head ready to snap my disapproval… there was nothing there, and no sign of a shadow walker, who would be visible to me.
And, to my surprise, Melek had also stiffened, pulling me behind him as he turned, looking into the same space where I’d seen the darkness move.
