Epilogue
EPILOGUE
Ten months later
Kash stood looking out over the site that would shortly be his new world. It was nothing but a few acres of ground right now, but once the plans were finished and his contractors had brought to life his vision, this place would be filled with all the world’s greatest scientists. It was a place for them to gather, to work, to research and share their ideas. It was a place he hoped could change the world.
“I thought I would find you here.”
He turned, a smile on his face because there was nothing he loved more than the sound of that voice. Well, he’d also become partial to the sound of his soon-to-be-born daughter’s heart. The hummingbird thud they heard when the doctor came to visit always made his heart clench. “Two more days and we break ground. I’ve already got meetings with some researchers who are interested in my challenges.”
She joined him, her hand slipping into his. It felt natural to be connected to her. “Medical or tech?”
“A couple of doctors who don’t want to work with big pharma. They’re interested in my drive to cure Parkinson’s.” He’d put out the call. He and a few other billionaires had pooled some of their resources and offered the world’s great minds money and labs and housing in order to solve the problems humanity faced.
He was going to change the world. And if anyone thought they could stop him, they would have to think again. This time he would fight. He wouldn’t stop because soon he would give this world to his children, and he never wanted them to think he didn’t care.
“Excellent. I heard we also recently received a hundred million dollar grant from Milo Jaye to study pollution solutions,” she said with a smile. “You can thank me for that. I gave his wife all the plans and specifications for my suspension tools. They’re all about suspension play right now.”
“As long as you didn’t give them any of our toys.” He pulled her close. It was so much easier to be himself now. Something had settled inside him and the world seemed like a different place. A softer, more welcoming place.
His wife still argued with the parliament, but he’d noticed lately that the women of his country seemed to be louder than before, more sure of themselves. They showed up regularly, standing behind their queen, standing up for their daughters.
“I never would. How else would I take care of my favorite servant?” Her voice had gone dark and deliciously deep.
He felt that tug in his groin. Somehow, even though she was almost ready to give birth to their child, she was still the sexiest thing on the planet. She could still make him want to drop to his knees and beg to worship her. “I think I’ll be the one taking care of you for a while, my Queen. You have another monarch to give birth to.”
He’d successfully argued and won his battle to abolish the antiquated rule of succession that preferred sons over daughters. His daughter, the one who slept inside her mother now, would never worry that she wasn’t enough. She would be queen unless she decided she did not want to be. As his firstborn, the choice would be hers to make.
She squeezed his hand. “I think that is going to happen sooner than we think.”
“Is she kicking a lot?”
“I’m pretty sure I’ve been in labor all day,” she said, as though talking about the weather. “We should probably go back to the palace and call the doctor. I think your mother will get to meet her namesake tonight.”
Yasmine. Their daughter. Oh, god. He was about to become a father.
He was a father. He was a father and a son and a husband. He was a submissive and a king.
He could be all of those things because he was also Hers.
But first, he needed to get her home so their first child wasn’t born on his construction site. He wanted his mother there. She’d defied all the doctors and was still holding on. Though the queen mother moved more slowly these days, she seemed happier than ever, ready to welcome her granddaughter into the world.
“Rai! What are you doing allowing your queen to wander around when she’s about to give birth?” Kash asked.
His guard, his best friend, smiled as he stepped from behind the tree where he’d been discreetly waiting. Kash knew the man would never leave him alone. He would always be there, even when he acted like an ass. “Have you tried to tell the queen what to do?”
Day was shaking her head. “Walking is good for the labor. Stop being so overprotective.”
He took her hand and started for the Jeep. When she winced, he scooped her up. “There is no such thing. I am exactly the proper amount of protective.”
“Really?” she said with a grin, her arms going around his neck. “Who says that?”
“I do. And I’m the king.”
After all, the king was never wrong. Kash carried his wife back to the palace and into their future.