Throne of Vengeance (Throne Duet #2) by Rina Kent

“Here?” I rasp against her ear as I pull out then pound back in, hitting her sweet spot.

She shudders and her legs tremble as she shatters all around me. Rai might act like she needs no one on the outside, but she always, without a doubt, comes undone around me.

And in a way, she has the same effect on me. I’ve never wanted to own anyone as much as I crave her. I never thought about complete belonging before she came along. She’s the only one who drives me crazy day in and day out.

I keep thrusting into her a few more times before my own orgasm sweeps me under. A groan spills from my lips as I empty myself inside her tight walls.

Rai slowly closes her eyes, lips pursing. I wrap my arms around her waist, holding her close. My head rests in the crook of her neck and I nibble on the hickey I left there yesterday.

She remains still for a minute and her breathing eventually goes back to normal.

I think she’s fallen asleep, but then she whispers, “I’m going to abort the baby.”





24





Rai





Kyle isn’t there when I wake up in the morning.

In fact, he hasn’t been there since I said those words. He pulled out of me, and although he didn’t leave the bed, he didn’t hold me either.

He was there in body, but not in soul. For the first time since we got married, he slept with enough distance between us that I shivered in the cold.

And in a way, it felt like he disappeared again.

I should’ve seen that coming when I said I’d get an abortion, but predicting something is entirely different from actually witnessing him withdraw from me. I guess a stupid part of me hoped he’d rectify his mistake by letting me have the final decision and actually respecting it.

Instead, he didn’t talk to me, didn’t fight, and didn’t even make one of his distasteful passive-aggressive remarks. He just left as he usually does.

I try to ignore the soreness between my legs as I get ready for my day. I shouldn’t have let him fuck me last night.

I really, really shouldn’t have.

But hearing his soothing voice and feeling his warmth at my back loosened me up. It’s the fucking hormones; I can feel them stealing my good judgment away and scattering it into the air.

That’s why I said what I did right after we finished. I couldn’t just allow him to take everything from me without a fight. He wronged me. He put a baby in me without my permission, so fuck him and fuck the way he withdrew from me.

Ruslan and Katia wait for me in front of my room, expressions concerned.

“Did you even get any sleep?” I ask.

Ruslan gives a sharp nod. “Yes, miss.”

“No, you didn’t. Look at those bloodshot eyes.”

“They will eventually go away.” Katia lowers her head. “We…we would’ve never been able to live with ourselves if something happened to you.”

“If we were there, you wouldn’t have had to go through that, miss,” Ruslan agrees.

“Hey, you two, I was the one who told you to make sure Asher and Gareth were safe. Okay?”

“But—”

“No buts, Katia. It already happened, and we don’t dwell on what’s happened, so we’ll just focus on the future.” I pat both of their shoulders. “I feel so much safer knowing you two have my back.”

“Always,” both of them say, and I smile as the three of us descend the stairs.

Peter, Kyle’s lonesome guard who’s usually lounging around the house, is stuffing his face with a muffin. He’s the most useless guard I’ve ever seen, and it’s not only because of his bleached hair and brow piercings. It’s that he truly lacks skills more than any guard I know, which makes me wonder why on earth Igor would recruit him. He talks back to Kyle all the time, which usually gets him smacked upside the head, and Kyle doesn’t take him on dangerous missions either, so he’s usually eating and being lazy.

Since he’s here, Kyle could be around, too. My breathing shortens at the prospect of seeing him, and therefore talking to him. Considering everything that happened last night, it won’t be pretty.

But I stand by my decision.

“Katia, clear my schedule for the afternoon.”

“Done, miss.”

“Will you need the car?” Ruslan asks.

“Yes.” If I’m going to get an abortion, I might as well rip off the Band-Aid sooner rather than later.

I step inside the dining room for the usual morning meeting while inhaling deep. Who knows how the hell it will go with Kyle sitting right beside me…?

My train of thought scatters when I don’t find him at the table. Everyone is here except for him and Adrian.

“Rai,” Sergei urges when I remain rooted in place. “Come, sit. We were about to discuss the funds V Corp has been funneling into the brigades.”

I force myself to stride to the seat and flop down beside Damien.

He nudges me and lowers his voice so I’m the only one who can hear. “Better today?”

“Yes,” I reply meekly.

“The baby too?”

“Yeah.” Apparently.

“Pity. I thought you’d leave the bastard Kyle if there weren’t a baby.”

“I can still leave him even when a baby is involved.”

“That’s my Rayenka. I vote for leaving him.”