He was free.

Rhys stood on the balcony of his home in Last Vale and took in the sight of his town, and the seashore that surrounded it. He’d always loved this spot, the scent of the ocean, the crispness of the air.

A weak tropical storm was rolling up the coast and the sky turned dark as thunder rumbled in the distance. Last Vale had survived several hurricanes and tropical storms. Rhys wasn’t worried about this one either.

Warm arms wrapped around his waist and he turned to pull Emery in front of him.

“Hi,” she said up to him.

“Hello.” He put his hands on either side of her face, fingers threaded through her hair, and kissed her. Her scent overrode the salty sea air and while subconsciously he’d always been yearning to return to Last Vale, he now found that home was with Emery. Her scent, the feel of her skin, the sound of her moans as he made her come.

Fuck if he didn’t love this woman. He’d never been so eager to please another person. So in tune with her wants and needs and desires. So aggressively possessive.

Cole had made the mistake of getting too close to her a few nights ago while they’d been assessing the integrity of the mansion’s foundation, and Rhys had nearly tossed him into the ocean.

Emery was his. Forever and always. And he would gut anyone that even thought of touching her. Even if it was accidental.

“How is the inspection going?” he asked. She’d insisted on doing some of the work alone. “It’s why you hired me, isn’t it?” she’d challenged. To which he’d replied, “That, amongst other things.”

It took a lot for him to give up control of some aspects of his business, but he trusted Emery as much as he trusted Dane and Kat. Maybe more so now.

“We’ve only made our way through the north side of Ashurst Street. Everything is looking good so far, though we’ll have to reinforce some of the support beams in one of the residential houses.”

“Mmm,” he said and tucked her into his side. The storm was growing closer now. “Whatever needs to be done, you have free rein of the bank account.”

She laughed. “The freedom, whatever will I do with it?”

“Speaking of freedom and money, I’ve asked my accountant to set up an individual account for you, for whatever you want or need.” He pulled out a black debit card and a slip of paper with the account’s information on it. “Please spend it however you’d like.”

“You don’t have to do that. I have my own—five million dollars? Are you kidding me?! No. That’s too much. What—no. Five…mill…holy shit.”

He smiled down at her. She was cute when she was scandalized. “I have plenty more where that came from. I assure you.”

“It’s too much.”

“Is it?”

“Yes!”

“I disagree.”

“Rhys!”

“What?”

“You can’t give me five million dollars. I haven’t earned it and it’s your money and—”

He hooked his first knuckle beneath her chin and tipped her face up, quieting her with his mouth. Caught off guard, she went still at first, then melted into him when he slid his tongue over hers.

She moaned.

That’s what he wanted.

He went hard, hungry for more.

The curse was gone, but his thirst for this woman would never abate. Nor would his desire to fuck her senseless whenever he had the chance.

Emery pulled away, breathless, her hand on the swell of his bicep. “You’re trying to distract me.”

“Is it working?” His hand pulled at the silky material of her skirt, yanking it up past her bare ass. She was wearing a thong because she knew it drove him mad.

He grabbed her cheek and squeezed liking the way she exhaled, her eyelids fluttering.

The sea turned choppy below.

“I can’t accept that money.”

“You can and you will.” He dropped his other hand to her ass and lifted her off her feet. She yelped and quickly wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist, as he turned for the bedroom.

“Rhys,” she moaned and then he lay her on the bed and pressed his groin against her warm center. He couldn’t wait to be sheathed inside of her. Claim her again and again.

“Enough talking,” he said at her ear and she shivered beneath him. He grabbed at the hem of her shirt and lifted it clean off, her hair spilling out in a dark wave. She was wearing the sexy lace bra he’d bought for her and when he yanked off the skirt, he found the matching panties too. “I picked well,” he said.

“You do have good taste in lingerie.”

“Anything would look good on you.” He ran the tip of his nose down her throat, to her breast, and bit at her peaked nipple. The lace of the bra was soft and sheer giving him just a hint of her nakedness.  

She grabbed at his shirt, her gaze suddenly lustful. “Off with it,” she ordered and he gladly obliged.

Using his vampire speed, he was out of his trousers and boxer briefs within a second and when Emery wrapped her hand around his shaft, he closed his eyes and reveled in the pressure she exerted over him.

“Fuck, little lamb,” he said around a groan. “What you do to me… I might be willing to give up all of Roman Enterprises in exchange for spending every day in bed with you.”

Still on his knees, Emery sat up to meet the head of his cock, teasing it with the velvety draw of her tongue.

Rhys hissed as his balls tightened, his shaft throbbing for more. He would never have enough of Emery. Never.

She flattened her tongue against the underside of him and moaned as she licked upwards.

When she made those sounds…

Rising up, she grinned at him and then plunged his cock deep into her throat. He hung his head back and exhaled.

He was free.

Finally.

He’d been the son of a mad king, but he was no longer afraid of becoming like his father.

And it was all because of this woman.

Because she loved him and he loved her.

The relief, the exultation, the pleasure burning through his body, it was almost like he’d been transported to some divine land.

Rhys grabbed Emery by the shoulders and pulled her up beside him. Her mouth was still wet, her lips plump from sucking him.

“What is it?” she asked.

For most of his life, Rhys had buried his emotions. As a prince, he needed to appear strong. As the son of a mad king, he needed to appear sane.

Because of that, he’d never been one to speak the truth of his heart.

“Rhys?” Emery said, her brow sinking into a frown.

“I love you,” he said, a little breathless.

“I love you too.” She smiled and took his cock in her hand again, but he pulled her away.

“Listen to me.”

“Okay.” She let out a nervous giggle. “What is going on?”

Lightning flashed through the sky sending sharp, violet light through the room. The air was wet and cold now.

“I love you,” he said, trying again. “And I want you to know…that I…argh.” He ran his hand through his hair, frustrated with his inability to find the right words to adequately sum up how he felt.

It was bigger than anything he’d ever experienced, scarier.

Emery had saved him and with her help, he’d saved himself too.

How could he tell her just how much that meant to him?

And then he realized, really what it all came down to, one simple word. It might sound small, it might come across as negligible—

“Emery.”

“Yes?”

“You make me happy.”

She frowned again, but her chin wobbled and he couldn’t ignore the wateriness of her eyes, but he hurried on.

“And that might seem insignificant, but you must know, I don’t think I’ve ever been happy a single day in my life. I thought I was. But now, with you, I realize it didn’t even come close. You make me happy. Deliriously, profoundly happy.”

A single tear snuck out on her and she sniffed, wiping it away. “It’s not insignificant. It’s…well, I think that’s somehow bigger even than I love you. You can love a person and not be happy. But can you be happy and not love a person? I don’t think so.”

Another tear escaped her and Rhys rushed to thumb it away.

“I love you,” he said, “and I’m happy.”

“I love you too,” she answered. “And I am ridiculously happy.”

As thunder rumbled through the house and the rain poured down, Rhys kissed Emery and pulled her down to the bed. He was intent now to show her just how happy she made him.

And vowed never ever to let her forget it.