Why wasn’t she speaking? Why were her eyes searching his?
“Is that what you wanted?” he half-yelled, half-begged, needing her to speak. “Tell me!” He drew ragged breath after ragged fucking breath. “Is that the truth you wanted to hear?”
His heart hurt. His head hurt. All of him hurt.
Silver lined Brynleigh’s eyes, and she dipped her head.
“Yes,” she murmured. “I wanted you to admit that the Representatives are inherently above everyone else and that life in the Republic of Balance is unfair.”
His nostrils flared,and his chest heaved.
“You married the son of a Representative. One day, I will take my mother’s place,” he reminded her, biting out the words. “Did you forget that?”
Slowly, her head moved left, then right. She could break his hold in a heartbeat, but she didn’t.
“I didn’t marry youbecauseyour mother is a Representative, Ry.” A tear ran down Brynleigh’s cheek, and her voice was so soft that he had to strain to hear the words. “I married you in spite of it. I Chose you foryou. Not for her position. I loveyou.”
A long, never-ending moment went by as they stared at each other. Chests heaving. Hearts pounding.
Universes were formed and destroyed during that time. Stars were birthed. The planets spun round and round. Babies were born, and the elderly Faded. Storms raged and calmed.
None of it carried even a drop of significance.
The only thing that mattered was the woman in front of him.
Ryker drew in a deep breath, and then, did he the first thing that came to mind.
He kissed her.
This wasn’t a gentle meeting of their mouths or a slow, languid caress. This kiss was fire. It was passion, ardor, and anger all mixed in a burning embrace.
It was hurt and forgiveness, pain and passion, sorrow and joy.
It was fuckingeverything.
This was nothing like their first kiss or those stolen, timid touches during the Choosing.
Those people, that picture-perfect couple, no longer existed. Maybe they never had. Hurt and pain lay between them… but so did truth, honesty, and love.
Their mouths warred for attention.
Brynleigh nipped his lip.
He moaned.
Ryker ran his tongue across the seam of her mouth, and she opened for him. He tasted her, and gods above, he almost came right there.
This was the most passionate embrace of his entire gods-damned life. He desired this vampire unlike anyone else he’d ever met. His cock strained against his shorts, his blood pumped through his veins, and every part of him wanted her.
Needed her.
Keeping one arm on the wall above her head, he threaded his other hand behind her neck. He angled her head just so, tilting her so he could properly devour her.
And she let him.
A moan slipped from her lips, and he swallowed it with his mouth.
Her hands fisted in his damp shirt, and she tugged him even closer. The unspoken message was crystal clear.