Page 44 of Depraved Royals

“Happy birthday, Dani.”

I wheel around to look at Kal, my eyes brimming with happy tears.

“This is beautiful. But my father will kill you.”

“Then I’d better say what I came here to say.”

Kal leads me onto the decking. The lights are gorgeous, and the stars even more so. Despite the cold, I feel a deep, comforting warmth in my chest.

I’d have laughed in their face if someone had told me that this man would be the one I’d fall for.

On paper, he’s everything Idon’twant.

An Antonov. A man from the Bratva life, where women are chattel. Something to tie me down, hold me back. Yet here we are.

Kal is speaking.

“I know you hate everything I stood for, Dani. For you, I turned my back on all of it. My siblings, my mother. My destiny, even.”

What does he mean by that?

Kal closes his eyes for a moment, then opens them again, holding my gaze. In the low light, his pale blue irises almost glow.

“I’m throwing my lot in with you,milaya. Fuck knows what will come of it, but I don’t care. I’m tired of the darkness.” He rakes a hand through his hair and frowns as though he’s struggling to find the right words. “All I know is you shine your light into me, and the bad thoughts scurry for cover like cockroaches.”

I smile. This is breathtakingly romantic, despite the vermin-based analogy.

“I’m not a good man. I’m not even close. But you make me wanna be better, even if I have to tear myself to pieces and pull out all the rotten parts. It’s gonna be agony, and I don’t know what the fuck I’ll have left over to work with. But Dani - I’m trying. I’m willing to claw my way out of the depths and let you warm me, let you bring me to fuckinglife.”

Tears flow down my face. It’s so hard to see Kal fight himself like this. It’s as though he’s never allowed himself to feel anything before. Now it’s finally happening, it’s hit him like a freight train.

He takes my hands in his.

“It could get ugly. This is all unchartered territory. You might not like what you find any more than I do. But I want to be a better man for you. If you’ll have me.”

I gawp stupidly as he sinks to one knee.

“I don’t have a ring because I’m a moron and didn’t plan this part.” He smiles at my dumbstruck expression. “And because I think you might say no. It’s a pain in the ass trying to convince the next woman to accept a second-hand diamond.”

I give a half laugh, half sob, and pull my hand out of his so I can flip him off.

“That’s my good girl,” he says, and I flush with pleasure.

He’s broken. He’s a fucking mess. But he’s a beautiful, fierce warrior, and like it or not, my heart is lost to him.

Kal looks up at me.

“Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?” he asks.

I hurl myself to my knees, flinging my arms around his neck.

“I thought you were just playing with me,” I whisper, raining kisses onto his lips. “I never thought you’d do this in a million years.”

Kal wraps his arms around me, kissing me long and deep. I melt into his chest as he weaves his fingers through my hair.

“If that’s not a yes,” he murmurs against my mouth, “then this is about to be extremely embarrassing.”

“Of course it’s a yes!”