“Evie…”

Not knowing what to do, Gavriel slowly lifted his hands and reverently touched her face, resting them below her ears. Her cheeks were icy cold it made his heart ache even more but what struck him the hardest were her tears. “I’m sorry…” his voice cracked a little and he then inched forward, erasing the space between them, he buried his face in her hair and held her, almost desperately. “I’m so sorry… this is a misunderstanding. Those ladies. I never allowed it. I never agreed. I didn’t even know the duke had called them here.” He explained as fast as he could. “Please. Don’t cry. I was outside the castle since yesterday, surveying the frontlines in preparation for the war. It was so sudden as I received an urgent report informing that the crown prince was on his way here to siege the city. I only arrived a while ago and came straight to you.”

Evie couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The warmth of him as he hugged her so tightly, the desperate tone he was using, the cracks appearing in his voice … his apologies and his explanations – what she was feeling that moment was beyond words for her to describe and all she could do was sob even harder. She could not even tell if she was weeping like this because of the pain he had caused her or because of the relief that had enveloped her entire being from hearing his explanations.

When she felt his presence just a while ago, the emotions that she was struggling to keep at bay immediately burst through her so hard she had not even realized she was already crying until he told her.

“I’m so sorry… forgive me…” he sounded sluggish, disoriented and utterly apologetic, hugging her tighter and kissing her head over and over in desperation, hoping to make her feel better. He would do anything in this world just to be able to have her stop crying.

The feeling was inexplicable to Evie. How was it possible that this one male could make her feel all that pain and then just as instantly melt them so easily just by hugging her tight and telling her that he was sorry?

And just like that her nightmare was over, and she was in a dream again. And she could not help but to succumb to the warmth, the comfort, and peace of his dreamlike embrace.

It took a full minute before Evie could control her sobs enough to finally speak.

“Re… really?” Was the first word that came from her mouth. Her fingers still clenched tightly onto his robe, wanting him to tell her again that he did not agree to have concubines. “You really… didn’t agree to it?”

Gavriel pulled away to look down at her face, his expression inexplicable as both his hands cupped her face, his thumbs gently wiping away her tears which were still flowing. “I can call the duke here right now -”

“But I saw you… with two of those ladies… I saw…”

“You came after me?” Gavriel’s eyes widened. “Oh God Evie, that was… im so sorry I made such a grave mistake. I followed them without question because I was consumed with my emotions and I thought they weren’t up to something. But believe me, I didn’t touch any of them, love. I told you, there’s no woman I ever wanted -”

He could not even finish his statement because Evie suddenly wrapped her arms around his waist and buried herself in his embrace again. Her action made Gavriel froze, looking as though something unbelievable had just happened to him. Her, hugging him on her own accord… he couldn’t believe what was happening. Did the sun just rose from west today?

“Does this mean…” he uttered and when he felt her nodding her head as her grip on him tightened, as if she had no intention in letting him go, relief and gladness welled up within, swallowing him whole. He felt that unexplainable swelling in his heart that he could not stop himself from smiling.

Gavriel, bent his head and his lips landed on her face. “Oh, Evie…” he whispered, his voice becoming huskier as he moved until Evie felt her back against something. “Kiss me…” he asked, after lifting her and placing her to sit on the table behind her.

Their gazes locked on each other as he maneuvered himself between her legs, recreating their exact position in the library before they last parted. And before she knew it, she closed her eyes, the remnants of tears flowed down her cheeks and she reached out and kissed him. She was stiff at first, but as soon as Gavriel opened his mouth and took over the reins, she soon found herself clinging to him weakly, succumbing to the drowning pleasure of his savage and passionate kisses.

His mouth moved over hers, again and again, dizzying and blatantly sexual, and so passionate she could feel her blood racing along her veins until the dark current of sensation made her feel like a boneless puddle of jelly. Everything seemed to be disappearing and she was in a dreamland with just the two of them existing.

Gavriel’s hands were back at the edge of the table as his lips strayed from her mouth and travelled downwards. A low, masculine growl of pleasure and need escaped his throat as his kissed trailed from her jawline to her neck – sounding so hungry as if he wanted to consume her like a highly sought-after delicacy.

“Evie…” he groaned with need. He could hardly think straight, and neither could she.

His mouth was suddenly on her breast, making her gasp. He bit against the clothes covering her, until he caught her nipple between his teeth in a light clamp. Evie’s eye flew open, and he soothed her, his breath and tongue now softly licking her peak through her night gown. All Evie could do was shudder helplessly at these new sensations she was experiencing, remembering his intimate words back then, when he told her he’d suck her breast.

She suddenly registered feeling his teeth against her skin before hearing the sounds of ripping garment that reached her muddled consciousness. He did not even give her the chance to react. Because his mouth was already closed over the tip of her breast.

He gave a soft grunt of satisfaction while she gasped and squirm at the foreign and wild sensations of his mouth moving sensually over her breast. His tongue licked her nipple and softly tugged and then sucked it. Evie bit down hard on her lip to keep from crying out.

What he was doing to her was too much that she felt she was going to faint, and yet at the same time… she did not want him to stop. Something unknown was happening to her… her hands moved to his head, clutching his hair, and pulling at him as her muscles tightened up, her senses opening, reaching, wanting something she could not quite explain.

“Fuck, Evie… yes… like that… hold on to me, love…” he groaned, his deep voice vibrating against her nipple and his lips moved to the other.

The fire of desire between them was burning so wild, it could hardly leave any room for sanity to remain.

She clung desperately onto him, as he kissed and suck her other nipple, her body shuddering with sustained shivers because of the crawling heat his tongue was sending down to her toes.

“Gav… riel… wait…” she moaned as her fingers clenched onto more of his damp silky hair. Her breathy voice was the pure sound of tortured pleasure that sent shivers down Gavriel’s arms.

He pulled his head away, his breathing hard and hot against her taut and wet nipple. His eyes dark but seemed to be burning with fire and then he knelt on one knee and suddenly he was between her parted legs.

Evie’s eyes grew wide when he licked the inside of her thighs, moving further inside her gown while his eyes never straying from her. Overwhelmed and shocked, Evie’s hands that were clenched in his hair shakily pushed at him. “No… that’s… oh, my… you can’t…” she stammered, heart slamming wildly inside her chest, not knowing what to say or do.

“Don’t worry, wife…” he told her as he licked his lips so incredibly sensuously it had shattered whatever hesitation that was left in her. “I won’t touch unless you say so… I’ll only kiss you… here…” he added as he nuzzled his head deeper between her legs.