Page 119 of Duke of Rath

He chuckled. “And you showed me I could turn to the light, too. I have been all about control. Controlling my rage. My beast. Exhausting myself. Punishing myself.” He kissed her. “But I wanted to change for you. Because I fell in love with you, and I knew I didn’t deserve you. Didn’t deserve your love. Not just because of my rage but because of John. Because of what I did to him. And, strangely enough, the way to become the man you needed me to be wasn’t to maintain control. It was to surrender.”

She brushed her knuckles against his cheekbone, and he felt a shudder run through him. The wicked woman could make even such a gentle and innocent gesture sensual, calling forth his desire for her.

“I will be the proudest mother to your child, Dorian,” she said softly, “because he or she will have the most amazing father.”

He felt his heart swell with love, like a sea sponge filling with water, bigger and bigger, and bigger still. There was no limit to the love he had for his wife and would have for his child. “I don’t know if I can be a good father,” he said. “God knows, I never had a good example.”

“That is exactly why you will be,” she said, taking his face in both of her hands. “Because you’re different from him in every single way.”

His chest ached with some pain he didn’t know, perhaps grief for the family he’d wished for but never had. Or for his own ruined childhood. “You’re right, love,” he said, placing soft kisses along her neckline. “I will make sure my son or daughter has everything. But most of all, that they have their mother. If they have you, they will have all they need.”

“And you, darling,” she whispered and kissed his lips. “Both of us. Darkness and light. You think I’m the soft one, but I’m sure the child will weave a rope around you!”

He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, her and the life she was carrying inside. Part him, part her, a wonderful new person they would both love and cherish their entire lives.

“You’re right, I would never do anything but try to make them happy. Just like you. I will never stop trying to make you happy.”

“Oh, darling,” she whispered. “You already have. All you need to do is just be yourself.”

And as they kissed in the sunlight, next to her roses that were both strong and beautiful, he knew that she was right.

She was his center. His love. His breath. His spring.

His queen.

And all she needed to do to make him happy was just be herself.