The words settled over Lucien with such warmth and honesty that, for a moment, everything else fell away. The car, the world outside, the troubles of his life. “You do?”
“I do. How could I not? You are the perfect man.”
“My ex would argue with that.”
“Well, she’s an idiot.”
He choked on a laugh. “When we were in the caravan and you laughed about being friends, I thought…that was the end of it.”
“I laughed because I couldn’t believe that’s all you wanted. But we got interrupted and I couldn’t say everything I wanted to.” She shook her head. “You still fought for me.”
“Yes. That was never going to change. I’m a man of my word.”
“You are that. And you love me, too, right?”
He nodded. “I do. I never wanted to love anyone again. I never wanted to risk myself that way. But you are just amazing.” He looked over at her. “I know we have an annulment to get through, but after the paperwork’s done, I’m hoping we can start over. Date. To the extent that I can go out, which isn’t much, as you know.”
“Date?” She stared at him, open-mouthed. “Is that really what you want?”
He started to tell her the truth, that he would love to stay married, but then he closed his mouth, pressing his lips together in a firm line. This had to be her decision. “I want whatever you want.”
“Are you sure about that?”
He gave her a curious glance. “Yes. Why?”
“Because I’m pretty sure I want to stay married.”
The car jerked to the right, then he straightened it out and pulled over onto the shoulder. “Say that again.”
She unbuckled her seat belt and twisted to face him. “I want to stay married. I mean, if you do.”
“To me. You want to stay married to me.”
She laughed. “Yes, to you. Unless you don’t want to.”
“No, I, yes, that’s good. No, definitely yes.” He pressed his hand to his head for a second. “I feel like I missed something. What did I miss?”
“Look, I’m going to be completely upfront here. Being married to you, a man I trust and respect and love, is the best way for me to protect myself. That wish merchant? He’s not a one-off. There are others out there. And I have no way of ever getting more wishes, so I need to be more protective of them than ever.”
He nodded. “I see.”
“But I don’t want you to think that I’m just using this marriage for my own protection. It’s not just that. It’s how good life is with you. How easy and comfortable and fun and just…good. You like me for me. Not for what I can offer you. That’s been a rare thing in my life. Sure, I’ve dated some nice guys before, but never one I had these kinds of feelings for. So why should we stop being married? We love each other, but we can still take things slow. Get to know each other.”
“Okay.”
“So why end this marriage until we have a reason to?” She chewed on her bottom lip nervously. “I mean, what if…we never have a reason to end it?”
He went from looking at her to staring out the windshield, his grip on the wheel tight and unyielding. Life had made him a realist. “But what if things don’t go as well as we think they will? What if ending it is the only solution? It will hurt that much more.”
She put her hand on his shoulder. “I have never, in my long life, wanted to be married. Now I’m telling you I don’t want to not be married. To you. And you told me you’d never wanted to be married again, and yet here you are, married to me. In love with me.”
“True.” He took a breath. “Plus, you are the only person I seem to be able to touch without killing.”
“Another resounding reason to stay hitched.” She winked at him. “Not to mention, Hattie won’t scold us if things get…conjugal.”
A small, choking noise came out of his throat, and an unfamiliar rush of heat swept over his face.
“Hey, I didn’t know reapers could blush.”
“I’m not.”
She tipped her head. “Um, yeah, you are. And it’s adorable.” She twisted back around in her seat and fastened her seat belt. “All right, husband. Take us home.”
The remaining few minutes of the drive were lost to Lucien. His head was otherwise occupied with the unexpected and overwhelming news that his beloved Imari wanted to stay married to him.
He wasn’t quite sure how to process it, really. He’d never felt joy like this, other than the day his daughter had been born and the very early days with Pavlina. But those memories had become more bitter than sweet in the past few years, and he hoped his relationship with Imari wouldn’t follow the same path as his relationship with Pavlina had.
But that wouldn’t happen. He couldn’t let himself think that way. He and Imari were good together. Really good. Great, actually. And Imari was nothing like the flighty and fickle Pavlina.
He parked the Lamborghini in its designated spot, then got out and went around to get Imari’s door.
He would show her just how perfect a husband he could be. He knew he was subject to moods. He’d work on that. Be less broody. Happier. Easy to do with Imari around. After all, she was proof that he could still be happy. She was his happiness.
He’d spoil her with things, if she wanted things. Trips were harder, given how dangerous it was for him to be around people, but he’d find a way. Maybe rent out an entire resort somewhere.
That gave him an idea. If she wanted a date night, he could do the same thing. Buy out one of the restaurants in town for the night. That would be romantic, wouldn’t it? He’d ask Hattie. She’d know.
He offered Imari a hand out of the car.
She took it and kissed his mouth as she went by. He grabbed her and pulled her close, kissing her back. Showing her just how happy he was. Kissing her now felt so different because she was his and he was hers. It was a kiss filled with love and promise and hope for the future. And as he held her in his arms, a feeling of completeness came over him.
When the kiss ended, she smiled blissfully up at him. “This is going to be fun.”
“Fun.” He shook his head at the idea. “That’s going to take some getting used to.”
“Well, I hope it never gets old. I don’t want it to.”
“Me either.”
She flattened her free hand on his chest. “I’m too wound up to sleep. You want to watch a movie or something?”
“We could get dressed up and go into the club.”
Her eyes brightened. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
The brightness faded. “I don’t really have anything clubby to wear.”
“You realize I own the place. You can wear a bathrobe if you want. We’ll sit in the VIP section and people-watch. If you want to.”
She gave him a coy smile. “Can we dance up there?”
“I don’t dance.”
“C’mon, Lucy, it’ll be fun…”
He rolled his eyes with great playfulness. “Is this my life now? Do I really live with two women who insist on calling me by that dreadful nickname?”
“Dreadful? I think it’s cute. Not as cute as you, but close.”
He laughed softly. “You know I will do anything you want. If it’s dancing, so be it. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you about my ability. Or rather, lack of.”
“Maybe I can show you a few moves.” She wiggled her hips in the most enticing way before letting go of him to hook her arm through his. “Let’s lock my bottle in the safe first, okay?”
“You got it. In fact, I’ll teach you the combination.”
He closed the car door, then they headed for the entrance to the house.
Imari leaned into him a little as they walked. “I could eat something, too.”
“I bet Hattie has some leftovers for us.”
“Perfect.”
As they entered the house, Lucien sensed something odd. It was just an instinct and not anything he could name, but something felt off.
Hattie materialized in front of them. She hovered above the floor, her expression tense. “You’re home. Good. Everything all right?”
“Yes,” Lucien said. “Everything’s really—”
“Good,” Hattie interrupted. “Because I have to tell you something.”
He braced himself. “What happened?”
Hattie glanced behind her before answering. “Kora’s home.”
“That’s right,” a female voice called out. Kora walked into the mudroom. She ran her tongue over her fangs. “Hello, Daddy.”
“Hello, Kora. What brings you here?” He could feel Imari tighten up. He understood. Kora was intimidating. Statuesque, icy blonde, and beautiful in a severe kind of way. Tonight she was dressed head to toe in black leather. Her short dress and matching jacket showed off her long legs, and the stilettos on her feet only made her taller.
Kora leaned against the mudroom wall and jerked her chin at Imari. “Who’s this? And how is she still alive if you’re touching her?”
Hattie clucked her tongue and frowned. “Kora, mind your manners.”
“Mémé, you seem to forget. I don’t have any.” Kora moved away from the wall and closer to Imari, passing right through Hattie as she walked. “So? Who are you? Don’t tell me dear old Dad found himself a girlfriend.”
“Girlfriend isn’t the right word,” Imari said.
Lucien put his hand on Imari’s arm. “You don’t have to explain anything to her. I’m sure my daughter is just here because she’s run out of money.”
Kora laughed. “Maybe that’s why your girlfriend is here too, huh?” She waved her finger at Imari. “Are you on the clock? Or is it a set fee? I don’t know how you girls work.”
Lucien stepped between his daughter and his wife. “You will not speak to Imari that way, do you understand me?”
Kora backed up, hands in the air. “Touchy. Wow. Okay, I get it, you like her.” She shrugged. “Cool with me. Like I care anyway.”
“I will ask you one more time, Kora.” Lucien exhaled, trying to calm himself. “Why are you here?”
Her friendliness disappeared. “I need an advance on my allowance.”
“You don’t get an allowance.”
“I should, seeing as how you’re the reason my mother’s dead.” She leaned around him to look at Imari. “Did he tell you that part? How he’s the reason my mother killed herself? If not, you’re welcome. Feel free to split if that’s too much for you.”
“I am not the reason Pavlina faced the dawn.”
“Seriously,” Kora said, still looking at Imari. “You should go before you get in too deep. He’s bad news.”
Imari narrowed her eyes and came to stand next to Lucien. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Hey, no shame in quitting. I ditched him. It’s easy.”
Imari looked up at Lucien, her eyes filled with love and questions. She smiled at him. “I’m not about to walk away from the man who saved my life.”
Kora snorted. “Oh, brother. You should marry her, Luce. She might be your only chance.”
“For your information,” Imari said, “we’re already married.”
Kora’s mouth came open. “Are you kidding me?”
Lucien hadn’t been ready to let Kora in on that, but he wasn’t going to be anything but proud of Imari and his relationship with her. “Kora, wait for me in the living room. Imari and I have a little business to take care of before I deal with you. Hattie, is there anything to eat? Imari and I are both hungry.”
Hattie nodded while Kora looked on, her mouth still agape. “I’ll heat some leftovers up right away.”
Lucien took Imari’s hand, and together they walked away, leaving Kora in the mudroom. Lucien didn’t stop until they were in his office with the door closed. “I understand I have a lot of explaining to do.”
“Not a lot,” Imari said. “Whatever you feel comfortable with is fine. After what you just saw of my family, I’m certainly in no position to judge.”
“That’s very fair of you, but you still deserve an explanation.” He slumped against the door for a moment. “First of all, I’m sorry for how Kora spoke to you. Everything she does is designed to get a reaction.”
“I sort of figured that based on her whole look. But nothing she says is going to change the way I feel about you.”
“I appreciate that. I’m sure you’d still like a little background.”
Imari took a seat on the big leather sofa, curling her legs under her. “I wouldn’t mind. She seems…hurt.”
He joined her on the sofa, pulling one knee up so he could sit facing her. “Hurt? She’s just a willful, spoiled child who’s never grown up.”
“But something has caused all that anger in her. Most likely this belief that you’re somehow responsible for her mother’s death.”
He pondered that. “She can’t really think that.”
“Then why did she say it? You said it yourself to Khalid that the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Some part of her must believe it.”
He sighed. “Maybe you’re right.” He narrowed his eyes. “How do you know so much about children?”
“I don’t think I do. Jinn just have an innate gift to read people. And Kora comes off as hurt. That’s what makes a lot of people defensive and prickly. Pain. And the desire not to feel it again.” She drew circles around one of the upholstery nails on the back of the couch. “It’s why you were so reluctant to get involved with me. Right?”
He studied her, taking in her beautiful face. “Right. I was…afraid. It sounds so foolish now.”
“No, it doesn’t. How could you have known what the outcome would be?” Her smile was gentle. “I’m sure that’s what Kora’s going through too. So what happened between you and her mother? And why did your ex choose to end things in such a permanent way?”
Lucien rolled his shoulders, the weight of his past already heavy on him. “It’s a long story.”
“We have time. And I don’t think Kora’s going anywhere until she gets what she wants from you, so…” Imari shrugged. “Tell me.”
He took a breath. “It all started when I took my sabbatical from being a reaper…”