Page 75 of Spindle of Sin

“We should go to Moonstone,” her mother announced, her gaze shifting from Rush to Aura as though she were about to propose a match right there after hearing the full story.

She didn’t want her mother to act like she had when Aura was betrothed to Pax. This wasn’t the same—Rush was the King of Sin, dabbled with as many women as he pleased. He may have said he cared about her, but that didn’t mean he loved her. “May I speak to the king alone?” Aura asked.

“Of course. Take your time,” her mother said, ushering her father and sisters out of the room.

Once the door shut behind her parents, Aura whirled on Rush and pressed her hands to the chair’s arms as she leaned toward him. “I’m grateful for what you are doing, but you were supposed to get genuine forgiveness. Not buy it with gifts. I know you didn’t tell them every detail of what happened, and that’s fine because they wouldn’t understand. The issue is that you have my mother believing we will get betrothed!”

Rush grasped Aura by the waist and pulled her into his lap as she gasped. “Perhaps we will. When I saw the sorceress at the palace, she told me to completely break the spell, I had to kiss you. If I didn’t love you, then you would’ve died instead.” He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “So you now know my truth—I love you, kitten. I’ll prove to your family how deeply I do, if you’ll allow me to court you.”

Her brows rose. “Court me?” Love? He didn’t only care about her butlovedher. She could’ve died from what the sorceress had told him to do, which would’ve been better than being trapped beneath the water in an endless cycle of deaths, but his kiss saved her. A kiss of unexpected love.

“Yes. We can start over, properly this time,” he drawled, trailing his fingers up her spine while the other gripped her waist and drew her closer. “We can pretend I had come to Starnight.” His lips found hers, coasting gently across. “Saw you at one of the balls and lured you away.”

“Even though I was betrothed?” she asked, her voice breathy.

“I wouldn’t have given a fuck. You know that.” He leaned in and lifted her chin, his smoky scent intoxicating. “You still would’ve been mine. Let me court you.”

She couldn’t stop the laughter from bubbling up her throat at the ridiculousness of it. Yet she wanted that,absolutelywanted that. “Yes, you may court me, but does that mean chaste kisses, keeping our hands to ourselves, and leaving our clothing on?”

Somehow he pulled her even closer, her eyelids fluttering when she felt his hardness beneath her. “Let’s not get hasty now,” he said in a gruff voice. “I am the King of Sin after all.”

“Our first proper outing will be in your palace gardens. You on your knees and working in the dirt beside me.” If he did this, she would gift him three words in return. Words that were aching to come out already.I love you. She didn’t know how they both came to that point after so much animosity between one another, after a spell that should’ve only made her hate him more. Yet the effect had been opposite, and though no one would understand it, she did. And that was what mattered most of all.

Rush ran his finger across her lower lip. “Oh, I promise you we will both be on our knees and getting filthier than you could ever imagine.”

Epilogue

Rush

Rush wasn’t far from the pristine home he’d purchased from an older couple to give to Aura’s family. At first they were reluctant to sell, but Rush had made it worth their while. A dragon king always does.

He peered up at the sky as he rode his horse and gripped the reins of another mare. “Send down your prayers, sister. Today will be the first time I’ll be a proper gentleman.”

Before he’d left, Astor had arched his brow at seeing Rush change shirt after shirt until he settled on one that was buttoned all the way up. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d done something so ridiculous. Rush wasn’t the only one having a meeting today with one of the sisters—Astor was going to see Hana this evening, to confess everything, the lies, the truths, how he felt.

Rush had sent the King of Starnight a letter about what his son had done to the Moonstone Princess. And in return, what Rush had done to Pax. An eye for an eye. He didn’t leave out that if the king retaliated, he would burn the entire palace down. The king only wrote back with promises of peace.

As Rush approached Aura’s home, he halted his horse and slipped from its back. Aura opened the door and sprinted across the cobblestone. Rush smirked at her from beside his horse while holding the reins of her mare. Since he was courting her, he should’ve knocked on the door. Spoken to her father. Asked her to accompany him, despite the fact that this was a preplanned outing. But she hadn’t given him the chance.

“You’re late,” she said, placing her hands on her hips, a smile curling the edges of her lips as she slowed her steps and walked toward him.

“I’m on time.” He lifted a brow. Aura and her family had finally settled in to the new home, so the first courting had been arranged. Every moment of waiting had felt like a lifetime.

And as though she couldn’t hold her eagerness any longer, she flung her arms around his neck. “I thought you might come earlier.”

Rush chuckled, surprised by her affection as he drew her close. “I do have a court to run, kitten.”

“Excuses.” She laughed and stepped out of his embrace, then reached up to the top button of his shirt. “So proper today. I think we should undo one of these.”

“Thank the gods.”

She rolled her eyes and peered up at him with a smile. “Help me on the mare?”

“I think you just want me to touch you,” Rush drawled, taking her by the waist and lifting her onto the mare, his hands lingering.Gods, she was as beautiful as starlight, like her scent.

“Perhaps.” She laughed, and when he didn’t remove his hands, she added, “You promised me an orchard at the palace.”

“So I did,” he said. “The gardener spent over a week clearing a plot of land behind the gardens for you. You can plant whatever you wish.”