Inexplicable

Chapter Twenty-Four

Davina

"What about that one?" I asked, pointing up to the stars.

He chuckled, and I could feel the sound reverberate through me as I lay on his chest. "Still no."

After eating, we lay on the pillows and looked at the constellations, but I was terrible at it. He would point them out, but I couldn't figure out the shape. At some point, I had snuggled up to his side, my head resting on his chest.

"Damnit," I muttered, making him chuckle more. "I give up."

The night air was cool against my skin, and the breeze gave me a cold chill. "Are you cold?"

I nestled more into him, relishing in his warmth. "Not anymore."

He gently ran his hand up and down my arm, warming me further. "I could stay here forever," I mumbled, letting my eyes drift close.

"If we only could."

A thought crossed my mind. "Why don't we run away? Just the two of us?"

His hand stopped as he grew rigid. "I would love nothing more than to run away with you." He kisses the top of my head. "But we can't. You have a life waiting for you. A father. A kingdom. I can't take that away from you."

I moved to sit up so I could face him. "What if I didn't want to go back?"

"Davina..." I looked up at him as he shook the thought from his head. "It's only because you don't remember the people there. The life you had."

"It's not just that," I mumbled, my eyes dropping. I wasn't sure I wanted to ruin our night with serious talk, but it needed to be discussed.

"What's bothering you, my love?" My heart throbbed at the endearment as he pushed a wild curl behind my ear, his fingers lingering on my cheek.

"Something you said last night has been bothering me." He stiffened and pulled his hand back. I could feel his eyes on me, waiting for me to continue. "You said if we go back, you would be executed."

His head falls back, looking up at the sky as he takes a few breaths before answering. "If I don't take you back, I risk Zayn succeeding and taking you for himself." He lifted my chin, so I had to meet his gaze. "It is just me protecting you here, and Zayn has an army. Davina, I would love nothing more than to run away with you, but I will always do what is needed to keep you safe. I don't want you to think about what I might face when we return to Irradesia. It doesn't matter because I will always find a way to stay alive for you."

Hot tears pricked the back of my eyes. "I'll never forgive my father if he hurts you again." I touch a hand to his chest where the scar lays. "I'm not sure I'll forgive him for what he's already done to you."

"Your father was only doing what he thought was right. His only goal has been to keep you safe. You can't blame him for what happened. He saw me as an enemy."

"But you're not!" I said with a groan. "You've done more to protect me than he has."

"That's not true. We both only wish to protect you, that's all. Perhaps we can convince him of that when we return." He says, but his voice lacks conviction.

"You really think he will listen?"

"To you? Of course." He says it with a small smile, which makes it hard to believe him. The thought of losing him sent panic running through me, and I tried my best to push it back to the depths of my mind.

"I still like the idea of running away," I mumble, and he just laughs. "Please? Come on, you know you want to." I give him a look that makes him groan.

"Don't look at me like that." He says playfully.

"Like what?"

He brushes my hair from my face again, cupping my face with one hand. The way he looked at me made my stomach flip and my body heat. "I can't say no to you when you look at me that way."

"Like this?" I gave my best puppy dog eyes, and he laughed, his head rolling back.

"Stop it."

"Maybe it's more like this." I tried again, this time sticking out my bottom lip like a toddler.

"You asked for it." He captures both of my wrists, rolling me over on my back as he straddles me. I squeal and giggle at the sudden movement, excitement coursing through me. I still giggled as his lips met mine in a small, gentle kiss. He pulls away too soon, studying my face for a moment.

"I want more for you than a life on the run. I want you to remember your father and your friends back home. I want you to see Irredesia and all of its beauty. I can't- I won't take that away from you."

"As long as I'm with you, I don't care what we do or where we end up. We could run or go back. It doesn't matter as long as I have you."

He looks at me with an expression that says more about how he feels about me than words ever could. He kisses me again, this time deeper and more sensual. His soft lips mold to mine like the last piece of a puzzle. He made me feel complete in more ways than one.

"Jax..." I moaned softly against him. Something about it woke a demon in him, and he deepened the kiss even further, rubbing his tongue against my lips, asking for entry. I happily obliged, parting my lips. The sudden intrusion made me moan again. He growled in return, his hands tightening around my wrists. As my body heated and the need for more rose within me, I knew the night was about to get more interesting.