He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Forever,” he murmured before he untied her robe and slipped it off her shoulders and down her arms.
I love you.
Chapter Eight
Rhi lay in Con’s arms as Michael Bublé’s The Very Thought of You played. Con caressed her back softly as he stared up at the ceiling of the cavern. He kissed the top of her head and squeezed her tightly.
She sighed in contentment, her body, heart, and soul rejoicing. Con had one of the furs pulled to his hips, but she didn’t need it. He gave off enough body heat to keep her warm. Outside, a snowstorm raged, but they were in a cocoon of love and bliss within his mountain.
As happy as she was, she couldn’t help thinking about the journal. Rhi shifted so she propped herself on Con’s chest and met his black eyes that reflected the many candle flames. His blond hair was disheveled, and a day’s worth of whiskers graced his jaw, which she found incredibly sexy.
“What, love?” he asked while tugging on a strand of her hair.
“Where did you go today?”
A brief frown pulled at his brows. “Here, actually.”
“You ended the meeting to be alone?”
He gave her a crooked grin. “I was thinking about you. Then Ulrik and I flew around Dreagan for a wee bit before I came here.”
“Why did you come here?”
“I doona know.”
“You do,” she insisted. It was time she got to the bottom of things.
Con turned onto his side and propped his head in his hand, his elbow bent. “Is there something wrong with me coming here?”
“Not at all.” Rhi turned onto her side to face him. “All those years we were apart, I did everything I could to forget you.”
“Aye,” he said with a nod.
She waited, but when he didn’t continue, she went on. “We both immersed ourselves in everything we could just to get through each day. While I held onto my hate, you also had hatred.”
“I didna,” he quickly replied.
Rhi put a finger over his lips. “Not for me, handsome. For yourself. You were filled with regret and self-loathing. I read it in the words you put down in that journal. There was also love and hope. But while we’re together now, you’re still holding onto the past. You’re still thinking about all the years we missed. The news of our children only compounds that.”
Con blew out a breath and flopped onto his back. “I keep thinking there was another route that I just didna see.”
“Stop,” Rhi said as she scooted to him and touched his face. “The past is done. Those decisions were made. The actions carried out. There’s no changing it. How many times have you told me that?”
“Numerous.” He turned his head to look at her.
“The same advice applies to you. You’re strong, and those broad shoulders of yours have carried the weight of so many throughout the centuries. It’s time you set aside the pain and remorse about our children and us. It might have taken me a while to see the truth, but now that I have, I can see you’re walking the same path you worked so hard to get me off of.”
His lips curved into a grin as he touched her cheek. “Is this where you tell me that everything happens for a reason?”
“No, because you’re smart enough to know that already. Let go of the past, my love. We’re together now. We’ve vanquished the enemies that tried to keep us apart. We have an amazing home and many family members. On top of all of that, we have twins that we now get to learn about.”
“Has anyone ever told you what a brilliant woman you are?”
Rhi smiled brightly. “Yes, but you can say it again.”
He lifted his head and kissed her deeply. When her arms wound around his neck, he rolled her onto her back. He ended the kiss and looked down at her. “Have you really let go of the past?”
“Absolutely. That hate I mentioned? It wasn’t hate at all. It was love. My broken heart just couldn’t discern the difference. The moment I opened my heart to you again, you healed all the pieces that had been shattered. That’s how strong our love is. I forgave you long, long ago. I just didn’t realize it until we kissed at the Light Castle. And I knew, no matter what I tried to tell myself to keep you away, that it was a lie. The truth was that I never stopped loving you. And if there was even a glimmer of a chance of reuniting, then I would grab it with both hands.”
Con shook his head slowly. “I doona deserve you.”
“Oh, you most certainly do.” Rhi cupped his face with her hands. “My question to you is this. Will you let go of the past?”
“Aye, love, I will. I have everything I ever wanted. I should’ve let go and moved forward instead of rehashing it over and over in my mind.”
“That’s because you’re trying to determine a way not to make the same mistakes. The problem with that is that you assume there was a mistake. Look around Dreagan, handsome. Many Dragon Kings are mated and happy, the distillery continues to thrive, there is much-needed peace, and we have each other. The path you chose was the one that led to this. It made everyone involved go through some difficult times, but we’ve all come out of it as better individuals.”
Con kissed her palm. “Making us a stronger collective.”
She smiled. “You’re pretty smart.”
“I know how lucky I am to have you back in my arms. I love you more than you know.”
Rhi slid her fingers into his thick hair. “Oh, I have a pretty good idea. You, my amazing Dragon King, are impossible, wonderful, vexing at times, and astonishing in all ways. You make me want to be a better person. You let me be who I am, never telling me I need to change. But most of all, you accept all of me.”
“I’ve done all of that, love, because you showed me how. We’ve come a verra long way since the day we first met and were caught up in our love. There isna anyone else I wish to walk through life with. You make each day brighter. I never know what you’ll do or say, and I love that. You make me remember how to appreciate life and love.”
Tears gathered as she gazed up at her mate, her husband. “I love you.”
“And I love you,” he whispered right before he kissed her.
She ended the kiss. “I forgot to tell you something.”
“What?” he asked with a frown. “Can it no’ wait? I’d rather keep kissing you.”
“I found a new Fae doorway.”
He pushed up on his hands, his blond brows snapped together. “Where?”
“In the Dragonwood. It wasn’t there a few days ago.”
Con’s eyes widened. “Do you think…?”
“That it’s from the twins? Yes, I do.”
They shared a smile. It had taken months, but they were finally going to see their children.
Return to New York Times bestselling author Donna Grant's Dark Kings world for a special prequel novella…
Three extraordinary beings, one tangled Fate.
Untold power requires unfathomable responsibility. But it also brings danger, sacrifice, heartache, and many tough decisions. One fateful day and the choices and actions therein have the power to ripple across time, affecting more people than ever imagined.