Chapter 27 Always on Your Side
[Nyx]
I shook my head, my face burning hotter, wishing I could sink through the bed and disappear. “No,” I admitted, my voice barely audible. “I’ve never... not with anyone.”
Lysander exhaled slowly, a sound that was half-relief, half-reverence. “Goddamn, Nyx,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair, his expression a mix of frustration and awe. “You should’ve told me. I’d have been more careful.”
“I didn’t think it mattered,” I shot back, defensive despite my embarrassment, my eyes still avoiding his. “I didn’t expect... this. Not so soon.”
He chuckled, a low, warm sound that cut through my mortification. “It matters,” he said, reaching out to tilt my chin up, forcing me to meet his gaze. His eyes were softer now, the predatory edge gone, replaced by a tenderness that made my heart stutter. “It matters because I don’t want to hurt you. Not ever.”
I swallowed hard, the sincerity in his voice unraveling something tight inside me. “I’m not fragile,” I said, though my voice wavered. “I just... I don’t know what I’m doing.”
“And that’s okay,” he replied, his thumb brushing across my cheek, the gesture so gentle it was almost at odds with the powerful frame of the man before me. “We’ll go at your pace. No rush.” He leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead, then to the corner of my mouth, a silent promise in the touch.
I nodded, the tension in my shoulders easing slightly as I let myself relax under his steady presence. He lay down beside me, pulling me into his arms, my head resting against his chest. I could hear the steady thump of his heartbeat, feel the warmth of his skin through his shirt, and for the first time that night, I felt safe rather than overwhelmed.
His hand traced lazy patterns on my back, the touch calming, grounding. “I’ve waited years for you, Nyx Verdant,” he murmured against my hair, his voice a quiet rumble. “I can wait as long as you need.”
I closed my eyes, letting his words sink in, the weight of them both terrifying and comforting.
I woke to the gentle sensation of fingers tracing patterns on my bare shoulder. Sunlight streamed through the partially open curtains, casting the room in a warm golden glow. Rose petals still clung to the sheets, and the scent of last night's champagne lingered in the air, mingled now with something else—something distinctly us.
"You're watching me sleep," I murmured without opening my eyes, a small smile playing on my lips.
"Guilty," Lysander's voice was warm and close, his breath tickling my ear. "I couldn't help myself."
I turned to face him, finally opening my eyes to find his amber gaze already fixed on me, soft with an emotion I was only beginning to understand. His hair was tousled from sleep and our earlier activities, a slight shadow of stubble on his jaw making him look ruggedly handsome in the morning light.
"Hi," I whispered, my voice still husky from sleep.
"Hi yourself," he replied, leaning forward to press a soft kiss to my forehead.
The events of yesterday suddenly came rushing back, and with them, a wave of anxiety. "Karl must be furious by now. We left hundreds of guests waiting, embarrassed the family..."
"Don't worry," Lysander said with surprising calmness. "I'll handle it."
"How could you possibly handle this?" I asked skeptically. "Karl doesn't forgive public humiliation."
He sat up beside me, his expression serious. "When we get back, I'll tell Karl I forced you to leave with me. That I essentially kidnapped you."
"What? No!" I protested, sitting up as well. "I won't let you take the blame—"
He silenced me with a gentle finger to my lips. "Karl won't punish his daughter in the same way he would punish me. It's politics, Nyx. If he believes I coerced you, your reputation remains intact."
"And what about you?" I demanded, genuinely concerned. "What will happen to you?"
"I can handle whatever punishment Karl decides," he said with quiet confidence. "Besides, when he sees the bracelet—something he's been searching for since Diana died—his anger will be tempered."
I looked down at the silver bracelet on my wrist, the moonstones catching the morning light. "You'd risk punishment to protect me?"
"I would risk much more than that," he said simply, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.
I shook my head firmly. "It's not going to happen that way. I'm not the type of person who hides behind others." I met his gaze directly, my voice growing stronger. "We're in this together. I made the choice to leave with you, and I'll stand by that decision. I'm many things, Lysander, but I've always been someone who stands by her word. I'm loyal to those who are loyal to me."
Lysander's expression softened into a warm smile as he reached out and gently ruffled my hair, his touch affectionate and tender. "Look at you, being all fierce and protective," he murmured, his voice laced with fondness. "My little warrior."
"I mean it," I said, trying to maintain my serious expression despite the warmth spreading through me at his touch.
"I know you do," he replied, his hand moving to cup my cheek. "That's what makes you who you are."
His willingness to shield me, to place himself between me and Karl's anger, stirred something deep within my chest. No one had ever prioritized my well-being that way before.
"Thank you," I said softly, "for yesterday. For giving me a choice. For bringing back a piece of my mother. That was the first time in my life I felt like someone was truly on my side."
Lysander lifted my hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to my knuckles just above where the bracelet rested. His eyes, when they met mine, held a promise deeper than any vow.
"Get used to it, Nyx Verdant. Because from now on, that's where I'll be—always on your side."