Chapter 68

Chapter

Sixty-Eight

Fiona

“ A re you going to raise?” I eyed Vyk across the long, wooden table in the staff dining room, only breaking eye contact to glance at the significant pile of credits between us.

It had been several days since we’d successfully averted a swarm attack and a card game had seemed the perfect way to blow off some steam. Several bottles of Noovian whiskey later, the rest of our friends had either bowed out or gotten bored of losing to Vyk

He slid his gaze from me to his cards, then to the pile. “If I do, you will be out.”

I leaned back, glad that it was only the two of us remaining, just like it had been the first time we’d played against each other. “Just because I’m out of credits doesn’t mean I can’t bet.”

“You still owe me from our last bet.”

I gaped at him before realizing that he was right. I technically had only spent two nights in his room. “The climbing wall counts as one.”

I was glad no one else was around to hear the throaty rumble of his laugh. “I did enjoy the climbing wall. I’ll agree to that. Now, what do you have to wager that I do not already have?”

I blinked rapidly at this. “Just because we share a bed now doesn’t mean you have everything.”

“I believe it does.”

I couldn’t help smiling. The gruff Drexian had gotten much better at showing his feelings, almost to the point of it being awkward for everyone around us. He made no secret of his affection and his unquenchable desire. “That’s sweet, but you’re assuming that you’ll win.”

He moved his head back and forth. “I believe I will win.”

“Still so cocky.”

“Confident,” he corrected.

I leaned forward. “Okay, well I’m confident that I can beat you, so let’s talk wagers.”

Vyk braced his forearms on the table, grinning at me like a wolf preparing to pounce. “Last time, I set the wager. This time, I will let you.”

I thought for a moment. What did I want from the commander that I didn’t already have? “Tell me that you love me.” He opened his mouth to speak but I cut him off. “Tell me that you love me more than life itself and that you would do anything for me. Tell me that your life didn’t begin until you met me, and that I’m the best thing that has ever happened to you. Admit that you fell in love with a human woman, and that you were wrong about us from the beginning. Tell me that you were wrong about me, and about all the humans at the academy.” I held up a finger. “Oh, and tell me that you will spend the rest of your life making up for being such a colossal dick to me when we met.”

His eyes were wide, but he nodded. “You have yourself a deal.”

Satisfaction flushed my cheeks. As demonstrative as the Drexian was with his affection, he had still never told me he loved me. The warrior was still a Drexian of few words, and they were mostly growls. Not that I minded his growls.

I fanned out my cards, grinning at the high hand that could only be beaten by one or two other hands. “Well?”

Vyk studied my cards, his shoulders sinking as he laid his own hand on the table facedown. Then he raised his head and locked his gaze on me. “I love you, Fiona. I love you more than life itself and I would do anything for you.”

I drew in a sharp breath, startled by his statement even though it was what I had wanted. I wasn’t only surprised he’d remembered the words, I was stunned by how intently he was saying them. He wasn’t just repeating them by rote. He meant them.

“My life did not begin until I met you.” He pushed back the bench, and it scraped loudly across the stone floor as he stood. “You are without a doubt the best thing that has ever happened to me. ”

My heart pounded as he walked around the table and took my hands in his. “I have fallen in love with a human woman. I have fallen in love with you, Fiona.”

He pulled me up so that I was standing, and I stepped over the bench so I could face him. My throat was tight as I looked up at him.

“I was wrong about humans, I was wrong about the human women at the academy, and I was especially wrong about you.” He cupped my chin on one hand and leaned down so that our faces were so close I could feel his breath. “You are the most incredible, brilliant, talented, gorgeous female I have ever encountered in all my years and all my travels across the galaxy, and I love you more than I believed it was possible to love someone.”

My breath was shallow as tears blurred my vision and my heart hammered relentlessly. I had not imagined that I would win or that he would say such sweet words to me—and mean them. But there was so much intensity and feeling in his words they were no longer the ones I’d given him. They were his own.

The walls I’d so carefully built from my own pain and loss crumbled to dust, and I saw in his eyes that his own barriers were gone. Neither of us were holding the other at arm’s length so we would not be hurt, disappointed, abandoned. Neither of us were letting fear rule our hearts, but instead of feeling panic that I was so unprotected, I felt relief. Relief and joy.

I couldn’t remember feeling such happiness since before my brother died, but even thinking of Jack now didn’t bring the usual twist of pain in my heart. It made me smile, which I know he would have loved. He had loved making me smile and laugh, something I’d almost forgotten in my desperate attempt to shield my heart from being broken again. I managed to nod as I fought off tears, even though my throat was so tight it was impossible for me to speak.

“Oh,” he added with a smile, “I will spend the rest of my life making up for being such a colossal dick to you when we first met.” He brushed a kiss across my lips and then scooped me into his arms. “Starting now.”

He started toward the door, but I glanced back at the table.

“What about my winnings?”

He laughed as he walked. “Who said you won?”

I curled my arms around his neck and leaned my head against his shoulder. “Oh, I won.”