The Emperor (Dark Verse, #3)

by RuNyx

Mr. Villanova,”

“I’m pregnant.”

And she had been carrying their child already. Although it had been too soon for a test confirmation, Amara had known. Her breasts had become sensitive and she had missed her period, and Amara never missed her periods. They came like clockwork. And Lulu had started poking her nose into her stomach. She had known that day they had made a baby. And that had changed everything.

No, she deserved better than that. Love be damned, she deserved better than that. She had trusted him with her life and her heart, and though she still trusted him with her life, her heart was hurting.

He settled between her legs. God, she loved when he did that. She writhed against him, feeling his shoulders spread her thighs open, his mouth descending on her mound. He spread soft kisses on her waxed skin, his scruff rasping against her sensitive flesh. Wait, why did he have a scruff?

“I’m so fucking pissed at you, dirty girl,”

he growled, still kissing her mound, not going where she needed his lips. Why was he pissed at her? ...

“This pussy knows me even in sleep, doesn...

Oh yeah. She was getting so wet, anticipating the pleasure she knew he would bring her. She flexed her hips, trying to get him to hurry. Ah, she missed him, missed his touch, missed that dirty-talking mouth. And she loved this dream. A finger swiped throu...

“You’re coming home with ...

he told her. She’d love that. She missed the compound, the woods, the hills, the people. It had been so long since she...

“Wake up, ...

he commanded her. No, if she woke up she’d lose him. She didn’t want to wake up, not just yet. His tongue licked at her folds once. God, it felt so good. Too good. Amara blinked her eyes open, staring up the ceiling fan moving at full speed, aware of the wind caressing her hardened, exposed nipples, feeling wet between her naked thighs. It took her a second to process everything—the black silk baby doll she’d worn to bed thrown to the side, Lulu napping on the floor near the door, the room dark with the street light from outside filtering her window, and a very angry, gloriously shirtless, slightly bearded Dante Maroni between h...

“What are you- o...

her words ended on a moan as he pulled her forward, pushing her thighs back, and dove in. Amara gripped his hair with one hand, the other going to the sheets beside her, her breath coming out too fast as his tongue pushed into her. Dear gods of cunnilingus had blessed this man with a mouth he knew how to use so good. She bit her ...

“...

she p...

“God, Dante, ...

He built her up higher and higher, his thumb stroking her clit slowly, oh so slowly, bringing her right to the e...

“I swear to g...

His hand suddenly came over her mouth, quieting her, and he shook his head once. Heart pounding, Amara watched with wide eyes as he stayed still over her, his head tilted to the side, a vein in his neck throbbing as he listened. Amara couldn’t hear anything but she looked to the door, to see Lulu was perked up too, her ears twitching. A clock ticked in the house. A dog barked somewhere outside. Critters spoke in their nightly ritual. But they were all usual sounds, nothing to alert both the feline and the man. Lulu padded out the door to investigate and Dante moved off her, putting his fingers to his lips to warn her to stay silent, throwing his blue shirt towards her. Amara nodded, quickly buttoning up the shirt, glad for Dante’s height once again because it fell almost to her knees, and grabbed her discarded panties, pulling them on. She saw Dante bend down to scoop up his jacket, pulling out a gun. Lulu meowed from outside. Dante went to the door, his form quiet as he waited, almost unmoving, alert. Amara watched, the silence suffocating, a knot of anxiety tightening in her gut. She pressed her palm to her stomach, willing her heartbeat to calm down, to keep breathing normall...

“But it’s not what you’re given that makes you who are. It’s what you do with it. It’s not the weapon but the one who wields it that holds the power, and you, Dante Maroni are a powerful man.”

“This hell is my kingdom now, Amara,”

he told her, his eyes solemn.

“As long as I’m alive, it won’t touch you. And I intend to live a very long, ve...

First things first, he crossed the space between him and his girl, grabbed her beautiful face in his hands, and kissed her deep.

“You are a fucking warrior queen, and I’m so proud of you,”

he told her softly, seeing the effect his words had on her. Her lips trem...

“You make me ...

Fuck, he liked that. Giving her a smile, he pressed their foreheads together, his ears o...

“As soon as we walk out that door, you’re going to see a side of me tonight you’ve never seen before. I’m going to slaughter them, and you’ll have ...

She gripped his wrists...

“In sickness in health, in life in death, in murder in mayhem, isn...

“You’re the beat to my heart, Amara.”

“And you’re mine,”

“You have so much blood on you,”

she remarked, her voice slightly strained.

“I look hot in blood,...

he joked, slightly relieved as she cr...

“Although if it comes to liquid, I prefer the chocolate syrup you covered me in that o...

“You’re mine, Amara. Mine to cherish, mine to protect, mine to love.

thought of meeting her mother. His lips tilted up before he swooped in, crushing their mouths together, the kiss deep and wet and over in seconds.

“What was that for?”

“Because I can kiss you whenever, wherever, however I want now,”

“And nobody can do shit ...

He gave her a light slap ...

“Now...

Dante Maroni was a remarkable man, and she was lucky he was hers.

“Are you wet for me, dirty girl?”

he whispered into her ear, his voice smooth and heady and making her eyes roll back in her head.