Page 138 of The King's Man
Then, swallowing hard against the tears that wanted to steal everything from me, I reached for his mind and showed him the piece of my heart I’d never shown anyone.
The small, childish, terrifying fear that I’d carried ever since Walt.
I showed himmyself,mindless with love. Willingly giving my heart, myself, and it making mesmall.Changing my position on truth, accepting less than I was due, eagerly lapping up empty compliments because I wanted so desperately to bewellin his eyes. I showed Jann how those experiences, when I’d given my heart so fully and to the wrong person, had made me believe no man could be deeply trusted. And yet… yet I longed so desperately to be loved, that I feared when I found him. Feared I would fall again. Give myself up. Become his pet, not because he made me so, but because I willingly gavemyself.
Gripping his shoulders and swallowing tears, I let Jann hear and see my heart that feared loving him so deeply that I wouldgladlydisappear into his shadow.
But then Jann growled. He took my hands and met my eyes, shaking his head.
“I don’t want you smaller, Dee,” he croaked. “And I never will. I want more and more and more of you. Every day. I will never hold your leash. My hands are for your applause… and your pleasure.” His voice dropped to a deep rolling growl on thatlast, and I laughed giddily through my tears, because I could feel his indignation at my self-loathing.
He took my face in his hands and wiped my tears with his thumbs. His voice and eyes intent as everything else faded away.
“My mate—you’remine,Diadre, and I’m yours. My blood for your blood. My voice for your champion… and everything else we vowed, I meant it. But hear me, because this is equally true: I will not hold you down. I will not hold you back. I’m your servant. I will serve your heart, your strength, your well-being until my dying breath.No matter what.Remember those words, my dear.No matter what—I’m yours, and you’re mine. And I love you.”
I could hardly breathe. “I love you too, and I’ll—” but I didn’t have a chance to get the words out because the bond suddenly washed with need and his kiss was a fire that ignited on his lips and consumed my blood.
I was lost.
All that squirming fear and itchy disbelief melted away as the bond tangled us together and sucked us closer until we fell into each other.
Minutes later, I was gasping, struggling with buttons when he lifted me to my feet and without getting up, took off one of my boots, then the other, then reached up to the waistband of my leathers, and yanked them down, tearing them off and pulling me back into his lap and into his kiss with a growl of relief.
I sighed into his mouth as I unbuttoned him and shifted, preparing to take him. But moments later, both hands in my hair, he held me there and pulled back to speak against my lips.
“Show me,” he rasped, then kissed me again.
“Show you what?” I gasped back when I could breathe again.
His fingers slid against my scalp.‘Show me in your mind what you want. I am your servant, Diadre. Let me prove it.’
With shuddering delight, I let my head drop back and imagined him kissing his way down my body, sharing that image with him—and laughing, delighted, when his lips appeared at my ear first, then my throat, then down.
Giddy and overwhelmed with emotion, I imagined his kiss—deep and slow—at the same time that he entered me, inch by perfect inch, slowly, our hips rolling together… and so it was.
Moment after moment.
Dream after dream.
Touch after touch.
I only needed to imagine it and Jann rushed to fulfill my wish.
As tears turned to ragged breaths, and the coursing of fear in my veins became fire for my mate, he showed me, over and over, whatservantreally meant. And it had nothing to do with society.
Jann humbled me that day. He served my heart in a way no man ever had. And as I turned to serve him in return, I learned in those short, sweet hours, what love really meant.
Love meant that your lover’s pleasure was your own. Jann led by example, showed me that giving to a mate who loved you only increased your own pleasure and peace.
As the bond between us swelled and glowed, it turned and the fire of need devoured my fear. I could only smile and gasp and thank God for my mate.
My massive, cocky,wonderfulmate who counted my pleasure as his own.
And whose pleasure filled a space in me I’d held back for far too long.
When we reached the edge of that cliff, a part of me grew frantic—not in fear, but because I never wanted to lose this consuming connection.
But even in that, Jann led the way, breathing my name, and urging me forward. Holding on, only to make certain I fell first—then he followed me with the most beautiful groan. My name in a song, his heart offered without defense.
