Free Finding the Blood Assassin [Lords of the Expanse 3] (Siren Publishing Allure) by Honor James Page B

she simply couldn’t do it. Turning, she looked at the guard, “Where is he?” she whispered. “Raven, where is he?” She was an emotional wreck right now and knew his men would likely think her unhinged, but she didn’t care. “Take me to him?”
    “As you wish, my lady,” he told her. Shutting the door, he looked at her a moment then led her down the hall to a door revealing an office. Pausing outside, he tipped his head slightly, gestured with his hand, and then tipped another bow.
    Raven stood at the windows, staring out into the dark and hoping for one last glimpse of her. His man had told him that she was leaving and had even brought him her note, which lay crushed in the hand fisted at his side. She was leaving and he knew it was for the best. He had nothing to give her and no way to hold her to him even though he hated the thought of her leaving. He felt as though he was losing a piece of himself that he hadn’t even realized he had. But, and this was the part that hurt, he knew it was for the best that she left.
    She didn’t bother to knock, simply sailed in and shut the door behind her, causing him to turn. “You want me to go away, yet you stand at the windows to see me one last time.” She turned the lock on the door before she approached him. “There’s something I forgot to tell you about this fable called love.” She moved up to his side and leaned close. “Sometimes you have to kick the other person in the ass to make them see just how right you are together.”
    He just stood staring at her. “I thought it fitting to watch you walk away, my lady, as you likely did the same when I left you behind. Or if not, at least you’d know someone was watching you go,” he said with a shrug as he moved the hand with the note behind his back so she wouldn’t see it.
    She snorted and shook her head. “Liar. You need me, Raven. You need me in your life to keep you from falling into that person that you seem to think you are. You need me to wake at your side every day to hold you and to love you.” She moved closer and jabbed her finger into the center of his chest. “And you need someone to look out for. Someone that you can rely on no matter what may happen. You need me, Raven, because you know deep inside that I’m the only woman for you.” Her tongue slipped out to moisten her lip, snagging his attention before she huffed out a breath. His eyes met hers again as she stared at him intently. “I am the only one who can give you children and you me. I know you have to feel it, Raven.” Her hand was now flat on his chest over his heart, the touch warm and gentle. “I know you feel the soul tie between the two of us.”
    He couldn’t deny her words even though he knew that he should, he couldn’t seem to form the words to push her away. And all because he knew the truth of what she was saying. He could feel it in his very bones, the truth sitting there in his chest just waiting for him to acknowledge it. His hand lifted of its own accord to cover hers, and before he could convince himself otherwise, he pulled it from his chest and used it to pull her into his arms. His head lowered, and in the next moment, his lips found hers. Picking her up, he cradled her against him as he kissed her, giving in to the demands of the beast to taste, to take. He wasn’t gentle, he truly doubted that he ever could be gentle, but he did keep himself partially restrained and didn’t crush her to him as he truly wanted to.
    She clung to him and kissed him back with the same ferocity and intensity that he gave to her. She loved him despite his thoughts on the matter, despite the feelings he had to the contrary, she loved him and gave that to him with the kiss to begin their lives, or the one he was giving her to tell her good-bye. 
    When she pulled back, her voice took on a husky and needy tone. “Tell me what you need, Raven, what you need? Would your life truly be better if I walked away from you now?” She