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Authors: Donya Lynne

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She chewed and swallowed. "Delicious."

They ate in silence, but Malek kept sneaking kisses as he fed her bites of food from his own plate.

As he lifted yet another sliver of steak toward her, she shook her head and gently pushed his hand away. "No,
tesoro
. You need to eat more than I do right now." He looked better than he had several days ago, but he still had about ten pounds to gain, from the looks of him.

He set his plate aside and snuggled against her, his arm over her torso. "I'm good. I want to take care of you."

"You do take care of me." She set her plate on the nightstand and slid down to lie beside him.

"You need to eat, too," he said. "You almost died a few days ago." His fingers skimmed up and down her stomach.

She grinned. "You're just making excuses, baby. I'm fine."

"Excuses?" He pretended to be affronted. "Me? Never." He burrowed closer and nuzzled her neck as his palm caressed her torso.

She giggled. "What am I going to do with you? Are you always going to be like this?"

"If by 'like this' you mean hopelessly, totally, and ridiculously in love with you, then yes. I will always be like this." He nibbled and teased her skin.

Angling her head so he had better access, she closed her eyes and let herself be swept away again. Malek was an incredible lover. Attentive, tender, both gentle and fierce. And inventive. Apparently, he had always harbored an interest in the Kama Sutra and tantric sex, and now he wanted to explore both with her. If the little trick he had done to her earlier, which had given her an orgasm that had nearly blown her toes off, was any indication, she would like studying the Kama sutra and tantric sex with him. Very, very much.

Suddenly, Malek's entire body jerked to a standstill. A moment later, he lifted himself on his elbow and stared at his hand on her abdomen.

She opened her eyes. "What? Malek, are you okay?"

His startled expression scared her. What could he sense? Was something wrong? Maybe Brak's nifty magic had only been temporary, and she was dying again…and Malek could feel it. Maybe—

"Gina…" He lifted his wide-eyed gaze to her as a slow smile spread over his face.

"What? Malek, you're scaring me."

He blinked and gently shook his head, and she swore she saw the hint of tears in his eyes.

"Malek, tell me." She placed her hand over his on her stomach.

After a heartbeat of hesitation, he leaned into her and pressed his mouth to her ear. "You're pregnant,
piccolina.
"

What? How? It wasn't possible.

Gina's head snapped around and their gazes locked. "No," she said. "I'm barren. I can't be…it's impossible."

Sincerity and undeniable truth shone back at her as his hand pressed more firmly into her stomach.

"Malek?" How did this happen? How had her womb been rendered fertile when she knew without a doubt for decades that she would never bear children?

"You're pregnant, Gina," Malek said. "I can feel the baby's life force. I'm absolutely positive."

"But how…?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, baby. Maybe Brak did more than just bring you back to life. Maybe he healed your entire body."

For several long moments, Gina processed this change of events. Was Lady Luck trying to make up for all the years of screwing her over? The news that she was pregnant was almost too good to be true, but Malek seemed certain. Even now, he stared in awe at his hand as he wriggled his fingers against her tummy with a proud grin on his face. It was the kind of grin that made her heart flutter. He looked so proud…so happy…and very pleased with himself.

This was what every mated male wanted. This was why they endured the brutal pain-pleasure of the calling. The sole purpose of their freaked out mated biological servitude was to reach this end. To produce offspring. To create a child.

And whether she understood the how and why, it was clear Malek had succeeded.

"I'm pregnant?" She placed her hand over his again, beginning to believe him. "Really?"

Malek nodded and smiled. "Yes." Then he pulled his hand away, reached behind him, picked up a piece of steak, and lifted it to her mouth. "Now, what was it you were saying about me needing to eat more than you do?" He waggled the piece of meat against her lips as if encouraging her to open up. "Because it seems you're now eating for two, baby." The steak pressed against the seam of her mouth. "Come on. Open up."

She sighed. "You're going to be cocky about this, aren't you?"

He arched an eyebrow. "Who? Me?"

Taking the bite of steak, she rolled her eyes at him, and he rested his chin on her chest and watched her eat.

"You're far too proud of yourself." She combed her fingers into his long, soft hair.

"Yep."

The way he said it, as if he should be wearing a cowboy hat, made her laugh.

"I'm going to feed you," he said, and then kissed her. "And I'm going to take care of you." Another kiss. "And I'm never going to let anything bad happen to you ever again." He lifted himself and settled on top of her.

"Right back at you." She pulled him down, held him close, and whispered. "But don't you fucking dare dote on me, or we'll have a problem."

He chuckled and eased himself inside her. "I can't make you any promises on that,
piccolina.
I
am
a mated male with a baby on the way, after all. It's my job to dote."

"You're going to be trouble, aren't you?" She wrapped her legs around his hips as he rocked into her.

"No more trouble than you'll be." He nipped her shoulder. "You're trouble with a capital T."

"Mmm." Gina was where she belonged, right where she wanted to be, and with the male she wanted to be with for the rest of her life. "And don't you forget it, baby."

He grinned against her neck. "Don't
you
forget it."

"Now you're just being bossy."

"Absolutely."

God, she was so in love. "Shut up and make love to me." She gave his ass a gentle slap.

"Now who's being bossy?" But he gave her what she asked for and drove into her again.

"I love you," she said, holding on to his shoulders.

"I love you more."

In so many ways, her life was just beginning. Right now. With Malek. What more of a beginning could she ask for than to have a new mate and a child? In a way, the idea scared her, but in another, more powerful way, the thought of having Malek's child thrilled her beyond words. He was hers, and she was his, and together they were perfect…evenly matched in every way. And together they would raise their child to be the best of them both. Malek would make an excellent father. In her heart, she knew without question that he would. And even though she had no idea how to be a mother, as with everything else in her life, she would figure it out and get through. Now that she had found Malek, anything was within reach.

"Gabe," she whispered. "Or Gabby."

Malek murmured against her neck as he made love to her. "What, love?"

"I want to name our baby Gabe or Gabby."

He lifted on his elbows and looked into her eyes, already breathless. "Gabe or Gabby is perfect. I love it."

Tears bloomed in her eyes and she smiled, but all she could was nod, unable to speak. She pulled him down and kissed him, holding him close, relishing the feel of his body inside hers.

As he lifted her once more into the heights of pleasure, she finally believed she could be happy. Malek had taught her that. And he had taught her that even a badass assassin like her could find love and not be weakened by it. If anything, she was stronger. And anyone who messed with him or her future child would have to answer to her. Because as fiercely as Malek promised to protect her, she was just as fierce about returning the favor.

Theirs might not have been the most perfect courtship, but their union was and always would be perfect.

Gina had finally found a mate worth living for. And she was stronger because of him. And when Malek growled and sank his fangs into her neck as he came, she knew he was stronger because of her, too.

Through each other, they had found their way back from despair to become who they were born to be—who they were
meant
to be. An assassin and a warrior. And now mates and future parents. Forever in love, forever one soul, and for an eternity.

From the author: Thank you for reading Return of the Assassin. If you enjoyed Malek's and Gina's story, please take a moment and post a review. Reviews are a valuable means for authors to spread the word about their stories to other readers. Also, if you're interested, on the following pages, you will find links to other books I've written in this series, as well as my contact and reader group information. I look forward to connecting with you.

About the Author

Donya Lynne is an award-winning author of paranormal, erotic, and contemporary romance. Making her home in a wooded suburb north of Indianapolis with her husband, Donya has lived in Indiana most of her life and knew at a young age that she was destined to be a writer. She started writing poetry in grade school and won her first writing contest in fourth grade. In junior high, she began writing romantic tales for her friends, and by her sophomore year, they had dubbed her Most Likely to Become a Romance Novelist.
In 2012, she made that dream come true by publishing her first three books in the All the King's Men Series. She has several more stories planned for the series, as well as two sister series that are in development. She also has several stand-alone novels, novellas, and short stories, as well as more series planned for the future. Look for more from Donya in the years to come.

BOOKS BY DONYA LYNNE

All the King's Men Series

Rise of the Fallen
(Book One)

Heart of the Warrior
(Book Two)

Micah's Calling
(Novella Supplement to Rise of the Fallen)

Rebel Obsession
(Book Four)

Return of the Assassin (Book Five)

Non-Series Related Work

The Arms of Winter

Novella Published by Silver Publishing

Anthologies

Evernight – Romance in a World of Darkness