King of Pride (Kings of Sin, #2)

by Ana Huang

She’d touched down in my life like a tornado, gotten my drink wrong during her first shift at Valhalla, and hadn’t left my thoughts since.

“I have many other places to be.” A brief light illuminated the shadows in his eyes. “But I chose to be here.”

“I’m afraid not.” Kai’s voice could’ve melted butter. “I don’t like sharing.”

“Twelve,” she said, her tone sweet enough to induce a cavity. “I’m happy to lend it to you. It might help loosen you up so you don’t die of a stress-induced heart attack before age forty.” I’d much rather have you loosen me up instead.

“You mean the Rupert Giles school of life?” Isabella wrinkled her nose. “I can only imagine.” I couldn’t contain a grin. “A Buffy reference. Why am I not surprised?” She reminded me a lot of the titular nineties character. Often underestimated because of her looks and stature but fiercely intelligent with a spine of steel beneath the delicate exterior.

“That’s it, love.” Gravel transformed Kai’s soft words into a rough command. “Be a good girl and come for me.”

“Someone who’ll rearrange your already pitiful face if you don’t leave in the next ten seconds,” I said pleasantly. “In case your knockoff Patek Philippe can’t tell the time correctly, that would be right about now.”

“You have five minutes, sweetheart, or you’ll find out firsthand that I’m not always the gentleman you think I am.”

“Isabella.” I forced a swallow down my throat. “Yes?” “Shut up and let me kiss you.”

“That there’s no going back after this.” His admission was a warm breath on my skin. “You should’ve never let me take you, Isabella. Because now that I have, I won’t be able to let you go.”

I wouldn’t trade any of my moments with her for all the calm and peace in the world.

But this was Kai. Brilliant, gorgeous, thoughtful Kai, with the lazy half smiles and knowing eyes that saw parts of me even I couldn’t find. A deep golden glow drenched the island, lending it a dreamlike haze, and I was quite sure, in that moment, that there was absolutely nothing I would rather do than walk side by side with him.

that.” “I remember everything when it comes to you.”

“I love you, Isabella Valencia.” Simple and raw, stripped of all pretense except for the naked truth that had been staring me in the face all this time. “Every single part of you, from your laugh to your humor to the way you can’t stop talking about condoms.” One of those laughs I loved so much slipped out, thick with emotion. A smile flashed across my face before I sobered again. “You think you’re broken, but I wish you could see yourself the way I see you. Smart. Strong. Beautiful. Imperfect by your own standards but so wonderfully perfect for me.”

I’d never fallen in love before her. Once I did, I did it the way I did everything else. Completely. Totally. Irrevocably.

“I never really lived before you,” I said. “And I don’t want to imagine living after you.” I dropped my forehead to hers, my chest aching with need and want and a thousand other emotions only she could make me feel. “Stay with me, love. Please.”

“Congratulations,” Kai said. “You’re officially a published author.”

“Isabella Valencia, will you marry me?”