Chapter 35
For a long moment, Rune didn't speak. Her heart was pounding like a drum, echoing in her ears. Dorian stood waiting for her to say something-tense, uncertain, and vulnerable in a way she'd never seen him before.
They faced each other like gladiators in an arena.
Rune needed to decide. However much she resented him.
.. however much she hated how he'd treated her and how late his epiphany had come, the thought of him moving on with someone else made something primal twist inside her.
If he was a little mad, maybe she was too.
They were both wrong in the head—him for being the way he was, and her for loving him in spite of it. Because love him, she did. Still.
She finally admitted it to herself, that he had learned his lesson. That he would treasure what they had. He would put her first. And God help her, she wanted him. He'd started to fidget, his gaze flicking to her as if bracing for rejection.
"No more ornamental women," she said suddenly. "If you're with me, it's only me."
His eyes met hers, fierce and steady. "There haven't been any others, not since I met you. I was never even tempted. It was all a smokescreen. All I ever want is you."
"Then why?" she whispered. "Why hide me like a dirty secret?"
He swallowed. "Because I was selfishly protecting myself. Staying in control is important to me. But if that's what cost me you then I don't want it."
She nodded slowly. "You're either all in or not at all. That means with the kids, too."
His answer was immediate. "All in."
"And we stay here part of the time."
"Done."
She hesitated, the words gathering heat before she spoke. "Then... I want sex." He blinked, as if he hadn't heard her right. "You...what?"
She blushed but powered through, eyes lifting to meet his. "I want sex, Dorian. I have needs too."
For a heartbeat, he simply stared at her. Then the corner of his mouth lifted... half smile, half groan. "I can live with that. But does that mean you are giving me a chance?"
"I can keep dragging this on and on. But I don’t have the energy and somehow, despite how dysfunctional our relationship was, we still... fit. And if you can give me all of you instead of crumbs like before, we have a shot at making this work."
He closed the space between them in two strides, his large hands coming up to frame her face.
The kiss that followed was hard and desperate, his lips parting hers to delve into her sweetness.
The tension that had been building for months broke through his restraint, all the unspoken need tangled into something rough and hungry.
His hands skimmed down her arms to rest on the slight curve of her belly.
She pushed him back against the wall and he let her, just long enough for her to catch her breath before pulling her close again. This time, it wasn't about dominance or power. It was about reclaiming something that had always been theirs without either of them noticing.
When his forehead rested against hers, his voice came out hoarse. "Tell me what you want, and I'll give it to you." The shape of his hard manhood pressed urgently against her belly.
Rune's lips curved faintly against his. "You already know."
Dorian's chest rose and fell like bellows as he drew back just enough to look at her. His thumb traced her jaw, the edge in his voice betraying his uncertainity.
"Rune," he said quietly, "If I ever... if anything I do makes you uncomfortable, you have to tell me. Don't just go quiet. Don't shut me out and pretend it's fine."
The change in his tone caught her off guard.
For all his confidence and control, there was a flicker of vulnerability there-raw, unguarded and real.
And in that moment, she realized something she hadn't before: she had played her part in the silence between them.
By holding back her feelings and swallowing her thoughts to keep the peace, she had made it impossible for him to understand what she truly needed.
"I didn't help, either. I never told you when I was unhappy. I thought if I kept quiet, you'd... stay." she whispered against his neck and felt the shiver run through him.
His thumb stilled against her cheek. "Rune."
"I thought love meant being patient, or pretending it didn't hurt. But all that did was build a wall between us. You couldn't see what I felt, and I didn't give you the chance to."
He exhaled slowly, a breath that seemed to come from somewhere deep. "Maybe we both need to learn how to communicate."
She nodded, eyes glistening. "Not keep things in."
He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead, then another at the corner of her mouth.
The kiss deepened—not out of hunger this time, but with something closer to trust. When they finally drew apart, Rune rested her head against his chest, listening to the steady beat beneath. It sounded like a new beginning.