Chapter Forty-One

Emma

"G ood morning, my love," I said dreamily as I rolled over, the shifting of the bed warning me of Rhyse's return. "What brings you back to bed?"

"Besides this?" he purred, one hand reaching under the covers to caress my body, producing goosebumps wherever his fingers went.

"Yes, besides that, you lecherous man, you!" I said, playfully swatting his hand away. "I'm not doing anything this morning, and that includes you ."

Rhyse jerked. "I'll show you lecherous!"

I squealed as his caressing hands turned ticklish, finding all my weak spots with ease.

"Do you submit?"

"To you?" I cried. "Never! Never, I say!"

Rhyse grinned wickedly. "That's not what you said last night." He reached over my head to poke at the restraints dangling from the headboard.

"Lecherous, lecherous man," I murmured on repeat. "I should've known better than to ever let you have my body."

I didn't even bother trying to keep the smile from my face as I said it.

He laughed. "Maybe I am," he admitted. "But you reap the benefits."

"That I do," I acknowledged, sighing softly at the memories of the prior night's activities. "Yes, I do."

"I'd like you to have another benefit if you're up for it," he said.

"What's that?" I frowned. "You'd better not have gone and gotten me something, Rhyse. I already lost you all your money."

It was his turn to frown. "What are you talking about?"

"We're poor, darling. Remember that part where Killian and his brown-nosers came here, ransacked the place, and took everything of value because I couldn't stop them?"

Rhyse placed a finger to his lips. "You had nothing to do with that. That was me. And besides … that score has been settled."

I tilted my head, focusing on the emotions he was giving off, trying to decipher just what they meant. "Rhyse."

"Emma."

"Just where have you been this morning?"

I knew he'd gone out while I'd dozed. But now I was beginning to think it hadn't been for an early morning swim like he'd let me assume.

"I had to retrieve something," he said defensively.

Lifting an eyebrow, I wordlessly invited him to continue.

A bolt of lightning flickered deep within one eye. "Something that was taken. Something that belongs to you."

"Rhyse. Love. What did you do?" I asked.

"There were scores to settle," he growled. "They've been settled."

I sighed. "You threatened Killian if he didn't give the necklace back. Didn't you?"

Rhyse jerked as if he'd been stung. "I most certainly did not threaten him!"

I gave him my I'm not buying this stare, and he looked right back.

"What happened, then? Because I know you didn't just ask him politely for it either," I said. "I told you, I don't need it back."

"You like it. It was yours," he said as if that was all that mattered.

"So, you didn't ask him. And you're sure you didn't threaten him?"

"I pinky promise I didn't do either of those things," Rhyse said.

I just looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to drop the bomb.

"I took it from him," he admitted at last.

"Just like that?"

"Mostly." He shrugged. "If you ignore the ass-kicking I gave the three of them first."

"Rhyse!"

"They had it coming," he said, pulling the necklace from his pocket and setting it on top of the covers. "Now, they won't bother us anymore."

"How can you be so sure?"

His gaze drifted out the window and to something beyond only he could see. "I'm sure. Trust me."

I sighed, trying to maintain my scolding nature, but it was hard. The necklace was beautiful, and I didn't like that it had been stolen from me the way it had.

"Thank you, darling," I said, pulling his head down to mine so I could kiss his cheek and rest my head there. "It's beautiful."

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too." I kissed him on the lips this time. "I'm glad you didn't buy me anything, though. We may have to sell this."

Rhyse frowned. "Why do you think we're poor?"

"Again, they stole everything?"

"No, they didn't," Rhyse said with a laugh. "They stole the things I liked most, true. But now, we're even. We both know it. But that doesn't mean I have no treasure. You think those things I displayed around the house were all I've pulled from the ocean over the years?"

I sat up, careful not to fold the necklace. "I did. But when you put it like that …"

"Come on." Rhyse put the necklace on the bedside then pulled down the covers.

"You just want to see my naked body," I admonished.

"Guilty," he growled, gathering me up in his arms and lifting me from the bed. "But I am a modern day dragonman."

"What the hell do you mean by that?" I asked, sputtering with laughter at his pompous over-the-top acting.

"I mean I'm doing two things. Only one of which is seeing and touching your naked body."

"That's two things," I pointed out dryly.

"Shut up." He stuck his tongue out at me.

"And the second thing?"

"Showing you my treasure," Rhyse said, leading me into his kitchen.

With one foot, he hooked it under a cabinet under the center island and lifted, sliding it up instead of out. There was a click as something released, and then Rhyse used that same foot to casually push the entire island out of the way.

I gasped as a metal staircase was revealed, leading to a lower level in the house I'd never suspected existed.

Rhyse carried me down the stairs, being careful to avoid smacking my head on the wall.

"You and your secrets," I teased.

"Not anymore," he said. "I have nothing to hide from you, Emma. Not now, not ever."

I shivered.

Then he hit the lights, and I could only stare at the piles of chests and coins, sculptures, and pieces of jewelry crusted with precious gems.

"Don't get used to hearing this," I said when I finally found my voice. "But you were right. We're going to be just fine."

Rhyse chuckled. "Emma, my love. This is just a bonus."

"What do you mean?" I asked, turning away from the treasure to stare up into his eyes, the green circles matching many of the gems in the vault around us.

He smiled and stroked my cheek. "With you in my life, I could never be poor."