Gods, he was so fuckinghappy.
Nikhail was dicing the last stalk of celery when a hand lightly touched his elbow. He put down the knife and glanced beside him.
“She’s the one, isn’t she?” Calina asked, her lips twitching knowingly.
His mother had always been observant.
Nikhail’s cheeks hurt from smiling so much, but that didn’t stop his grin from widening. “Yeah. She’s everything I could’ve ever asked for.”
Calina peered into the living room, and Nikhail followed her line of sight. River was sitting between his sisters, the three of them chatting about something on River’s phone.
“She suits you.”
He turned back to his mother. “She’s my everything, Mom. I’m glad you approve, because I don’t plan on losing her.”
Not now that they’d crossed so many obstacles to be together.
When they returned to Lakewater, Nikhail planned to ask River to bond with him. She fit into his life in a way that no one else ever had.
It was as if her soul had been specially designed by the gods to mesh with his. They were two halves of a storm, air and water, and they were meant to be together, forever.
And it was good.
CHAPTER 37
First Epilogue
A Few Weeks Later
“Tell me that’s not the dress you’re wearing tonight,” Nikhail rasped from behind River.
River turned around, dropping the necklace she’d been adjusting, as her lips quirked up. She met Nikhail’s smoldering gaze. The handsome air fae was tying a black tie around his neck, and he looked like he wanted to devour her whole.
Honestly, she wasn’t against that at all.
“I could... but then I'd be lying to you.”
Nikhail groaned.
River ran a hand down the dusty pink tulle skirt of her ballgown and peered up at him through her lashes. “I take that to mean you like my dress?”
“Like it?” Finishing with his tie, Nikhail closed the distance between them. His lips hovered over hers. “There are many things in this world that Ilike, little storm, but this isn't one of them.” He kissed her. “I love this dress, but also, I abhor it.”
Her brows knit together. “What? Why?”
He drew back, drinking her in, before his gaze met hers once again. Promises floated in those amber orbs, and her core heated. “Because this dress makes me want to throw you onto that bed and spend all night between your legs, making you scream my name until it's the only word you know.”
Her breath caught in her throat, and her cheeks burned.
“Oh,” she breathed. “I guess I didn’t realize you’d feel so strongly about it.”
She’d picked up the dress a few days ago in Lakewater, when she'd been shopping with Ember after a shift. Even though she and Nikhail had moved in together last week, River had kept the gown in a garment bag, wanting to surprise her air fae on the night of the Foundation’s fundraising ball.
As soon as she’d tried it on in the store, she knew it was meant to be hers. It was sleeveless, with a low-cut back, and a pink tulle skirt that sparkled and made her feel like a princess. It was perfect for the ball, especially since this was the first official function she and Nikhail were attending as a soon-to-be-bonded couple.
“Well, now you know.” He trailed a hand down her bare back, leaving a trail of shivers in his wake. “You should know that watching you in this gown all night andnotdevouring you is going to take all my restraint."
River arched her back and pressed her lips against Nikhail’s. “Is that so?”