Chapter 46 (Cora)

As his thumb continued his rhythmic circling, my stomach started to do little flips. My eyes began to flutter shut at the sensation, I never wanted him to stop.

"My Nerah, before I cut that man's hands from his body. Will you please tell me why he had you in his arms?" Ara's face slowly twisted from lighthearted to rageful again.

My face fell at his words. I had just defended Ara against Tate's harsh words, and Ara was now threatening him. I wanted to believe he was just exaggerating, but by his tone, I highly doubted that. My thoughts became jumbled as I tried to think of the perfect way to tell him I knew what he had discussed with Tate.

"Ara, Tate was asking me if I was ok, that's all. Tate told me what happened between the both of you during the interagation as soon as we arrived here." I looked up into his eyes, hoping he understood what I meant by that.

"I see." his hand dropped from my cheek as he pulled away from me slightly.

"Is that why you gave me a nickname?" I boldly asked.

"It is. I wanted to call you a name I knew was yours in a way." his voice held no emotion as I could feel him trying to block me out.

"Ara, I don't think I'm ready to fully tell you who I am, but I want you to know I want to be useful to you. I will never hinder you in any way." I tried to explain.

After this conversation, I hoped he wouldn't cast me to the side. He sighed as he ran his hand over his face. He seemed to be deep in thought. Letting him take his time to think. I sat on the floor next to him, silently waiting. Wishing I knew what was going through his head.

"My Nareh, I don't need you to be useful to me. You have given me everything I needed the day I married you." his hand found its way back to my cheek. His eyes steady on mine as if trying to see into my soul.

"So you will not cast me to the side?" The hope laced through my voice was evident even to my ears.

"I told you before that I want you to carve out your own path, and I will be right beside you as you do it. If your path aligns with mine, I will happily share it with you." his words seemed to hold nothing but the truth he wouldn't cast me aside.

"I do need to know one thing though that Tate refused to tell me, and you may not want to tell me." He almost sounded pained. "Who is King Emerson holding hostage to make you keep up this charade?" He questioned me.

"He was using my mother to blackmail me at first, but Queen Evelyn helped smuggle her out of the kingdom to Ucaros during our wedding ceremony," I told him not fearing telling him atleast that much.

I couldn't tell Ara much more than that. I wanted to trust him, but if he was lying to me and he was angry about my deceit, I didn't want him to use my mother as King Emerson did to get his revenge on me. I never wanted her to suffer again.

"Good. Are you sure she is safe there? I could send my men to fetch her for you." He offered.

"No! I mean, no, I don't want her to worry any more than she is. I want her to live in peace as she is now." I tried to cover up how nervous I was about him finding her.

"Nareh. I will never do anything to you or your mother that you don't want. Remember that." he stared at me. " "Nareh, My fire, you are my Queen. You will have everything you want and never lack anything again, you will have everything you want." His voice was soft, like a purr coming from deep within his chest. Ara's hand moved from my cheek to my thigh.

I didn't realize I had been leaning in to get closer to him as he spoke about giving me everything until he leaned over and pulled me onto his lap, still sitting on the floor. I sat sideways on him, with my butt in between his legs. I could feel his quickened breath on the cheek he had just been holding.

Ara's arms snaked around me, holding me to his chest. Looking down at his arms, I couldn't help but notice the scars on them. I ran my fingers up his arms tracing over each scar I could find.

"My Nareh, I'm trying to hold back. Please, you're driving me insane." His chest rumbled with his deepening voice.

"Don't hold back then." His words had emboldened me, and I no longer wanted to hide this part of me from him.

One of his hands slowly snaked into my hair as he steadied us, leaning closer to me. His lips brushed tentatively against mine, enticing my lips to move with him. I leaned into his kiss, deepening it, loving the feeling of him.

His tongue slid across my bottom lip, nudging my lips apart. When his tongue found mine, entangling them. we tried to get closer to each other. My body responded to his and the new sensation felt like it was burning through me as it traveled down my spine and pooled down between my legs.

My hands instinctively went to his chest as I tried to find more ways to touch him. My hands started to roam down to his naval, wanting to feel more of him. Ara growled as he pulled away from me. His breathing was unsteady as he stared at me. Running his large hand through his silky black curls, trying to gain control of himself.

"Nareh, I don't want to push you any more than this." he stood, helping me up to put some distance between us.

I stood in a daze as I tried to bring myself back down to reality. If Ara hadn't stopped us there, I would have let him lead me further down that path. As my mind came crashing back down and my heart steadied itself, I couldn't believe I had just done that. Ara approached me, kissing me on the forehead and holding me in his arms.