Page 85 of Queen of Misfortune (Shadows of Redemption)

I push her legs apart and drive into her. Into what’s mine.

She cries out, arches into me, and something inside me snaps. I still. My breath comes in pants as I look down at her. Fucking hell, how I love her.

She looks up at me, her eyes clouded by passion. The words I want to say to her hang on the tip of my tongue. But I swallow them. Instead, I kiss her and take my time to love her with my body. Slow caresses. Hot kisses. Does she feel it? Can she feel my love?

“Donovan.” My name comes out in a sigh. It’s the most I’ll ever hear of her feelings for me.

I withdraw and sink in, only then realizing I don’t have a condom on. Fuck.

I stop moving and close my eyes. It takes all my strength to not make love to her, to empty my soul into her. And if she became pregnant, well then, she’d have to stay, right? But if I’ve learned one thing from Lucy, it’s that she hates life being dictated to her.

“Lucy… fuck…” I start to pull away. Her eyes look at me in confusion as her legs hold my hips to her. “I don’t have a condom on, baby.” I let out a frustrated growl as need claws at me.

“Oh… right.” She releases me.

“I do want kids someday.” The words tumble out without warning.

“You do?”

I take a hard look into her eyes, wanting to know, to understand what she’s thinking and feeling. I swear to God, I see myself in their depths.It’s time, I tell myself. It’s time to tell her that I love her. That I don’t want her to go. That I want to fuck her, and if we make a baby, my life will be complete.

The moment is shattered by the shrill ring of my phone.

"Fuck." I look down at her, for the first time in my life, hating my job. “I’m sorry, baby.” I disentangle from Lucy. My dick shrivels as I hunt my phone out of my pants pocket. “Yeah.”

There’s a pause. “Everything all right?” Niko asks.

Fuck, no. “Fine. What’s up?”

"Giovanni. It’s time. Let’s go get him.” Niko's voice is tinged with excitement. Lucy isn’t the only one who seeks vengeance through Giovanni’s death.

I glance at Lucy, my heart aching. I have to go. I have to finish this for Niko and her. But when I do, the reason she’s bound to me ceases to exist.

"Understood,” I say once I get the details. I hang up and begin to dress.

"Is everything okay?" Lucy's voice is laced with concern, her eyes searching mine for answers I don’t want to give.

“Yep.”

"Tell me," she insists, sitting up. Her beautiful, naked body is exposed, and all I want to do is bury myself in her. Forever.

"Nothing you need to worry about," I lie smoothly, hating my cowardice.

But maybe it’s not too late. Maybe when Giovanni is dead, I can tell her the truth. I can ask her to stay. Her choice, just like she’d want. "Stay here. I’ll be back.”

I kiss her one last time, a promise, a goodbye—I'm not sure which since it will be up to her.

29

LUCIA

The memory of our bodies entwined lingers. Donovan's touch had been urgent, his gaze searing into me with an intensity that seemed more than just desire. Or that's what I hope I saw.

This aching is unbearable, and I’ve decided I need to tell him how I’m feeling. It’s possible he’ll still want the annulment. But maybe he won’t. As much as I’m terrified to find out, I have to know.

But after hours of waiting for him to return, worry grows. The bedside clock reads 2:37 AM. I've only managed to snatch moments of restless sleep as Donovan’s face haunts my dreams. I have no doubt there are times he works late, but even so, he or Niko always manages a call or a text. Tonight? Nothing. I’ve called, but no answer and no return call after leaving a voicemail. Nearly an hour ago, I texted, and still no response.

"Lucy?" Elena’s soft voice pulls me away from the screen.