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Soon, even that wasn’t enough for hi inside her, and she loved it Loved his intensity All she could do was hold on for the ride, sla into his chest, her as, rabbed her by the neck and jerked her down, ether Their teeth scraped as he priely kissed her It was a kiss that stripped her once

He was indeed her consort, she thought, dazed There was no denying it now He was it for her Her one and only Necessary Angel or not She laughed, and was surprised by how carefree it sounded Taured After this, no other man would do Ever She knew it, sensed it

She collapsed atop hi Scared Suddenly vulnerable How did he feel about her? He didn’t approve of her, yet he had gifted her with his virginity Surely that meant he liked her, just as she was Surely that meant he wanted her around

His heart thundered in his chest, and she grinned Surely

"Bianka," he said shakily

She yawned, more replete than she’d ever been My consort Her eyelids closed, her lashes suddenly too heavy to hold up Fatigue washed through her, so intense she couldn’t fight it

"Talk…later," she replied, and drifted into the most peaceful sleep of her life

CHAPTER ELEVEN

FOR HOURS LYSANDER HELD Bianka in the crook of his ar--this hat she’d craved iven it to her--and yet, he was also worrying He knehat that uard and sleep in front of another It meant she trusted hilad He wanted to protect her Even from herself

But could he? He didn’t know They were so differentUntil they got into bed, that is

He could not believe what had just happened He had becoes all thathe’d ever experienced Her taste was like honey, her skin so soft he wanted it against him for the rest of eternity Her breathy moans--even her screams--had been a caress inside his ears He’d loved every moment of it

Had he been called to battle, he wasn’t sure he would have been able to leave her

Why her, though? Why had she been the one to captivate him?

She lied to hi he despised Yet he did not despise her For everyshe did excited him The pleasure she’d found in his ar he had to give

Would he have been as enthralled by her if she had led a blameless life? If she had been more demure? He didn’t think so He liked her exactly as she was

Why? he wondered again

By the tiainst him, he still did not have the answers Nor did he knohat to do with her He’d already proven he could not leave her alone And now that he knew all of her, she would be even more impossible to resist

"Lysander," she said, voice husky from her rest

"I aht "I fell asleep"

"I know"

"Yeah, but I feel asleep" She scrubbed a hand down her beautiful face, twisted and peered down at him with vulnerable astonishment "I should be asha with ertip over her swollen lips How hard had he kissed her? "I’m…sorry," he said "I lost control for a moment I shouldn’t have taken you so--"

She nipped at his finger, her self-recri toabout that?"

He relaxed No, he did not hear her co In fact, she appeared utterly sated And he had done that He had given her pleasure Pride filled him Pride--a foolish emotion that often led to a man’s downfall Was that how Bianka would make him fall? For as his teh, she flopped back against him "You turned serious all of the sudden Want to talk about it?"

"No"

"Do you want to talk about anything?"