Talia was silent: then she whispered, “It’s because I love him more than myself. More than life.”

I hid a happy smile. Shrugging, I replied, “Then no matter what has happened between our families in the past, this allows us to forgive, forget, and rebuild.”

“It does?” Talia asked with a relieved sigh.

“It does.”

Then we all went home.

22

ZOYA

A week came and went, days spent lying beside Valentin in bed. With each day he grew stronger. He didn’t speak often. I could tell that his mind would wander to dark places—he had so many to choose from that I was never quite sure which occupied his mind. But the times he held me close, the times he curled me against his body and pulled me hard against his chest as though I might leave if he didn’t keep me close, I knew he was thinking of his sister.

He would kiss me and touch me, but never sexually. I wasn’t sure if it was due to his injuries or something more sinister. He caressed me as though he was savoring every part of me—committing me to memory, as he had said to me in the chamber. It sent fear down my spine, because to me it felt like our situation was temporary—like he feared that one day we must say good-bye.

When I woke each day, it was to find him watching me, body tensed like he was preparing for me to say or do something—I didn’t know what. When I asked him if he was okay, he would pull me close and simply say, “Yes.”

But there was something.

Zaal and Talia left us alone, but I had begun to spend time with them, little by little. And Zaal was right, I really liked Talia, and I loved how deeply she loved my brother.

One day later that week, I walked into our suite’s bedroom and found the bed was empty. I frowned. Valentin did not seem to be strong enough to be out of bed when I checked in on him this morning. I placed my coffee on the table and headed for the bathroom. As I approached I heard the sound of the running shower.

Silently I pushed the door open and tiptoed inside. Valentin’s sweatpants were in a heap on the floor. When I looked at the glass cubicle, I saw his large body standing motionless under the hot spray.

Steam billowed in the room, fogging up the large mirror on the wall. Even though the steam was thick I could see Valentin’s head was down, the fast spray caressing his skull.

Without thinking I stripped off my clothes, dropping them on the floor over his. The steam clung to my skin. Eyes fixed on Valentin, I quietly opened the shower door and slipped inside. The door closed behind me. In his numb state Valentin didn’t even register that I was behind him.

I lifted my hands to touch Valentin’s broad tattooed scarred back. Valentin jumped when my hands touched his skin, and his head whipped back to look at me. His eyes were pained yet soft as they met mine. His head turned forward, and I pressed my mouth to his wet skin, peppering kisses along his wide shoulders.

Valentin’s skin tasted sweet against my mouth. Continuing my exploration, I moved around his body until I was standing in front of him. Valentin’s head was downcast, but that didn’t stop me kissing his chest, over the black tattooed identity number.

His breathing increased as I sucked and lapped at his skin. Too much time had passed since we’d made love. And we were out of the chamber and free. We were free to make love without the fear of being caught or hurt.

Just us.

Joined.

In love.

My hands ran over Valentin’s pectorals and as they ghosted over his skin I felt moisture pool at my core. My hands dropped down to Valentin’s ripped torso, until they moved to his length—his length was hard, awaiting my attention.

I rolled my lips and glanced to his face, but Valentin’s head was still down. His eyes were squeezed shut and his nostrils were flared. His full lips were thin and pursed. His muscles felt like stone under my touch.

I couldn’t understand what was wrong. I knew if I asked him he wouldn’t answer me. Whatever was troubling him was buried deep inside.

Needing him to snap out of this numbness, I wrapped my hand around his hardness and began stroking it up and down. Slowly at first, but harder and faster when no reaction was forthcoming.

“Valentin,” I whispered as my mouth found his nipple and licked over the flesh. I moaned at the taste and closeness of this dominant man. I squeezed my thighs together as the pressure at my center began to ache.

Valentin’s breathing labored at my attention. Just when I feared nothing would happen, Valentin suddenly reached forward. Hard and powerful hands picked me up and Valentin’s hard body slammed me against the wall. My head threw back as his mouth kissed my neck, and I cried out as his chest pushed against my breasts. My fingers clutched at his bulging back, and when his length slipped to run through my folds my fingernails pushed through his skin.

Valentin snapped.

Suddenly pulling himself from his numbness, Valentin roared out long and loud and hitched up my legs. My back slid up the wet tiles of the shower. Before I could draw breath, Valentin slammed into my channel. I cried out, a mixture of shock and intense pleasure from the fullness of Valentine inside me. He did not pause for me to adjust to his size. Instead he tucked his head in the crook between my neck and shoulder, and began thrusting hard and fast. I gripped on to his shoulders as he possessed and dominated me. I submitted, wholeheartedly and with complete abandon. It was quick, the quickest I had ever felt the oncoming climax. As if sensing I was about to burst apart, Valentin pounded into me with an incredible force, my mouth dropping open and a scream pouring out into the steamy air as my climax took me by surprise.

Behind my eyes, bright lights blinded me and my body convulsed at the all-consuming pleasure surging through my body. My core clenched Valentin’s length, and with a loud cry Valentin slammed into me one last time. Every muscle in Valentin’s body stiffened and his grip on my legs was iron tight. His seed was warm as it poured into me. Our breathing, in the aftermath, was heavy.

My head, now limp, fell to lie on Valentin’s shoulder. I smiled, feeling weightless and loved.

This was what I craved from Valentin. His strong and unyielding presence. After a lifetime of feeling unsafe, his presence brought with it a sense of protection and possession.

I breathed in the hot air that filled every inch of the cubicle. After minutes suspended in the same position, Valentin pulled out from within me and brought me to my feet. My cheek was pressed against his torso, and I leaned against his strongly built frame.