“Thank you for giving me a reason to live, too,” I whisper as a happy tear spirals into my hairline.

We find our releases together, our bodies moving in sync with each other.

I move my hands to his neck as I gasp for air. My eyes are imprisoned by his. “Why me?”

He brushes his fingers through my hair, his eyes drifting over my face. “Because in a world of monsters and death, you’re an angel with the feistiness and courage of a goddess.” He presses a tender kiss to my mouth, then continues, “You’re selfless. Christ, Ariana, you’re so fucking selfless it humbles me.” I close my eyes and suck in a trembling breath. “Look at me, Malyshka.” I open my eyes again, and then he murmurs, “I see everything I never thought I needed in your eyes. A future. Children.”

I swallow hard, then ask, “You want children?”

“Only with you.”

Demitri doesn’t pull out of me as we talk, and somehow it’s even more intimate than making love to him.

He keeps brushing his fingers through my hair, his eyes loving every inch of my face.

“Will you be okay with living in the same house as Alexei?”

I nod. “I understand you have to protect him and how close you are with him. I really don’t have a problem with Alexei. Besides, the mansion is huge.”

The corner of his mouth lifts in a relieved smile. “I’m happy to hear that.”

I brush my fingers along his jaw, then ask, “Were you really angry with me?”

He nods.

“So whenever I piss you off, you’ll spank me?”

He nods again.

“And then fuck me senseless?”

Another nod as a sexy smile tugs at his mouth.

“So, what makes you angry?” I tease.

He lets out a chuckle. “If you want me to spank you, all you have to do is ask.”

Grinning at him, I say, “Deal.”

Demitri pushes himself up and pulls out of me. I pout at him. “I really like the feel of you on top of me.”

“Come on,” he says with a smile, taking hold of my hand and tugging me off the bed. He takes me to the shower, and while we wash each other's bodies, we talk about our likes and dislikes.

The conversation turns to us living together as we dry off and walk to his room to get dressed. I take one of his shirts and pull it on while he steps into a pair of sweatpants.

When we go downstairs, Demitri takes two bottles of water from the fridge and hands me one. He takes a sip and then sets his bottle down on the counter, and leaning back, he crosses his arms over his chest.

His eyes meet mine as a sense of wonder spreads through me.

Demitri is mine.

Tilting his head, he asks, “What’s that look for?”

“I just realized you’re mine,” I answer. “Demitri Vetrov. The hellhound. The custodian to Alexei Koslov.” I move closer to him, and lifting my hand to his jaw, I continue, “My rock. My savior. My life.” I shake my head. “It’s hard to believe how far we’ve come and that I’m the lucky woman who gets you.”