She lay nestled in his arms, facing away from him. He wasn't sure what time they had finally fallen asleep. All he knew was that he'd never experienced such peace. Such warmth.

And there was no pain. Neither physical nor mental.

Reveling in the moment, he buried his face in her hair and inhaled the fresh, sweet scent of her.

His body stirred immediately.

How?

After the night they had shared, he should be sated for days to come and yet there he was craving her in a way that was almost inhuman. He didn't understand it.

He pulled away to kiss her shoulder, then he froze as he saw her skin in the faint morning light.

Frowning, he ran his hand over her bare shoulder and the scars that marred her back.

She'd been beaten. Severely by the looks of it.

Was she a runaway slave?

She sighed contentedly and snuggled against him. Adron forgot the scars as her b.u.t.tocks collided with his erection.

He tightened his arms around her while he nudged her legs apart with his thigh. G.o.d help him, but he wanted more of her.

Livia came awake to the sensation of Adron behind her, filling her again. "Oh my goodness," she breathed as he thrusted himself deep and hard into her body.

Biting her lip, she hissed in pleasure.

"Don't you ever get tired?" she asked with a hint of laughter in her voice.

"Not of you, I don't."

She smiled at that. No one had ever made her feel so treasured. And she had to admit, a woman could get used to waking up like this.

Closing her eyes to savor his long, luscious strokes, she surrendered herself to him.

She came an instant before he did.

Livia rolled over to see a gentle smile on his face as he stared at her.

"Thank you," he said. "For everything."

She returned his smile. "Thank you." She placed her lips against his.

Adron's senses swirled as he cupped her head in his hand. He was definitely going to keep her in his bed for the rest of the day.

"Adron, you're not going to believea"" His father's voice broke off the instant his bedroom door swung open.

Gaping at them lying entwined, his father froze.

Then, all h.e.l.l was unleashed.

Livia dove beneath the covers at the same time a fetid curse rang out.

Adron looked from her cowering under the covers to the six men surrounding his father. Two of them wore royal Vistan robes, marking them as an Emperor and his heir. The other four wore the dark gray uniform of Imperial Bodyguards.

"I told you it was true!" the elder Vistan snarled. His dark brown eyes were filled with hatred as he tilted his head to look up at Adron's father. At six foot six, and a former League a.s.sa.s.sin, his father wasn't the kind of man you addressed in anything except the most reverent of tones.

Not unless you wanted to die, anyway.

"The informant was correct when he said your son left with her."

Adron arched a brow at the contemptuous sneer on the man's face. And it was then he realized the Vistan Emperor had hair the same color and hue as the woman cowering in his bed. And as he scanned the younger Vistan, he saw further confirmation of who Livia really was.

s.h.i.t!

"You wh.o.r.e!" the younger man said as he threw the covers back and grabbed Livia.

Adron removed his hand from her arm and shoved him back. "She didn't do anything wrong."

Oblivious to his nudity, Adron left the bed. "You touch her and I'll tear your heart out."

Rage descended on her brother's face, but Adron saw the fear in the man's eyes as he took in Adron's height, build and vicious scars.

Her father, however, wasn't so easily intimidated. "Take her," he said to his guards.

Livia hung her head as she wrapped the sheet around herself. The guards lifted her from the bed and took her to stand before her father.

Adron ached at the frightened look on her face.

Her father raked her with a scathing glare. "Modesty isn't becoming of a wh.o.r.e who spreads her legs for a man she meets in a filthy bar."

Before Adron knew what he was doing, her father yanked the sheet from her body.

"Take her outside and beat her."

"d.a.m.n you to h.e.l.l," Adron growled as he grabbed the first guard and shoved him away from Livia.

He pulled her behind him and retrieved the sheet from the floor, then wrapped it around both of them. Livia stood so close to his back that he could feel her trembling.

And it made him even angrier.

If her father wanted a fight, he was ready to give him one. No one would hurt her for what she'd done. Not unless they wanted a taste of him first.

"Boy," her father snarled. "This is no concern of yours. You've done enough damage."

Her father took a step forward.

"Whatever concerns my wife, concerns me."

Livia froze as soon as the words left Adron's lips. Last night, she'd had no idea that he was the Andarion heir. But Emperor Nykyrian Quiakides she knew. They had been introduced a few days ago when she and her family had arrived.

Indeed, it was business with Adron's father that had them on Kirovar to begin with.

Now that the two men were together, she saw the similarities between father and son. Nykyrian had the same white-blonde hair, the same firm, sculpted jaw. They also shared an identical height and build.

"Is this true?" her father demanded angrily. "Are you his wife?"

Livia swallowed. If she said yes, Andarion law would recognize them as married.

"Adron," his father said sternly. "Do you understand what you're doing."

Adron turned to face her. He tilted her chin until she looked up into his icy blue eyes. "It's entirely up to you."

Aghast at his offer, she stared at him. She'd never known a man so honorable. He could have left her to her father's wrath and yet here he was offering her sanctuary.

"Are you sure about this?" she whispered.

"No," he said with a hint of a smile. "But then, I've never been sure about much of anything in my life."

She looked to her father's angry face, and her brother's. If she went home, they would have her beaten until she pa.s.sed out. But if she stayed....

She had no idea what that would be like.

The known or the unknown.

"Take her," her father ordered.

Adron put himself between them.

"Nykyrian, tell your son to step aside. He is interfering with royal Vistan business."

For the first time, Livia noticed the deep, angry scars bisecting Adron's body. His back was completely covered by them. It looked as if someone had once carved him into pieces.

Then, her gaze fell to the dragon and dagger tattoo on his left shoulder that marked him as a League a.s.sa.s.sin.

She trembled. She knew absolutely nothing about him.

Nothing except for the kindness of his touch. Nothing except for the way he had made her feel when he kissed her. The way he made her feel wanted. Safe.

And in that instant, she made up her mind.

"What happens to me is the business of my husband," she said quietly.

Her father's face turned to stone. "Then your ties to our house are severed." He glanced at her brother. "Come, Prinam."

Her brother's features softened a degree before he caught himself.

Without a word, he followed her father from the room.

Nykyrian stepped forward with an amused light in his green eyes.

"Some things must run in our blood."

Adron frowned. "I beg your pardon?"

"Ask your mother one day how we ended up married." He looked to Livia. "In the meantime, welcome to our family, Highness."

Adron's frown deepened as he regarded his father suspiciously.

"You're being awfully understanding about all this. Should I be afraid?"

Nykyrian laughed. "Probably. I hope this means you'll rejoin the world again. We've missed you."

A tick started in Adron's jaw.

His father's face was kind and not the least bit judgmental as he smiled at Livia. "You know, you'll have to bring her to the palace to meet the rest of your wayward siblings."

"And Mom?"

He nodded.

Something strange flickered across Adron's features. Something Livia couldn't define, but it looked as if Adron wanted to avoid his mother.

"When?"

"Tonight."

"Will Jayce be there?" Adron asked.

"He is your brother."

Hatred flared in Adron's eyes. "He's your son. He ceased to be my brother the day he refused to uphold the League's Code."

Nykyrian sighed, then looked to Livia. "I hope you know what you've gotten yourself into."

The bad thing was, she didn't.

Nykyrian left them.

Now that they were alone, the reality of what she'd done came crashing down on her.

She was married.

To a stranger.

"Well, isn't this interesting," Adron said, turning to face her. "I don't know about you, but when I went to The Golden Crona last night, I never intended to find a spouse."

She laughed. "Since I was there to avoid one, I can honestly say that never crossed my mind either."