Chapter 476

"Erik…" Pearl looked up at him, completely stunned from what had just transpired.

Erik shook his head and walked over to the bar table, pouring himself a strong drink. He slammed it and poured another.

"Erik, talk to me."

He finished the second drink and walked over to Pearl. He looked into her eyes and kissed her, then pulled her into his arms.

"Forgive me for the silence. I needed to calm myself," he said. He broke their embrace and looked at her. "I am ardently and irrevocably in love you, with every inch of my being. I always have. I always will. This changes nothing about that. But I want you to be alright. I know you've been through so much lately. I need to know that you're okay and I need to know how you are feeling." He leaned closer, looking into her eyes again. "I need to know if you are with me, if we are strong enough to withstand all this… this pain and anger. The wrongs committed against us. The…"

She kissed him, interrupting whatever he was going to say next.

She kissed him and pulled his body to hers. "I love you, I love you, I love you." She whispered between heated breaths. Tears fell from his eyes as he hugged her in his strong arms. "Never let me go," she said.

"Never," he replied. And he meant it.

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Morning came with the sun peaking through the curtains of the large bedroom. Erik pulled the covers over their naked and intertwined bodies. Their lovemaking the night before had been manic and intense. They needed solace and they found it where they knew it always lived, where they could feel it no matter the issue. In each other's arms, sharing their bodies and their hearts.

Pearl nuzzled up to him and smiled. She quickly rolled over and took his hand and placed it on her tummy. He smiled when felt little kicks moving underneath. "She's active this morning," Erik said.

"She?" Pearl asked.

"Oh yes. It will be a girl. And most likely the absolute end of me." Erik smiled and kissed Pearl's forehead.

"It makes me remember Christian, in your belly." Erik sat up and began to dress. Pearl looked down. It was so bittersweet now. It was painful before but with all the knowledge they had uncovered, the pain was different.

"I love you, Erik. I am so sorry."

Erik moved quickly onto the bed. He looked into Pearl's eyes and shook his head. "No more of that. No more apologies. Not between us."

Pearl nodded sadly.

"Pearl, I mean it." He pulled her into his arms. "I am fine. I will be alright. You need to focus on yourself being alright. I need to know you're ok."

She wiped a tear falling from her cheek.

"He helped them. Of all the people in the world, I never thought he would do something like that," she whispered quietly. She was hurt the most about Dylan's involvement, which he surmised she would be after finding it out himself.

He looked at her. "People do crazy things for love. They want to keep the ones they care for safe. I truly believe he thought that's what he was doing." Erik tried to console her with reason.

"No." She sternly replied, looking up at Erik with a cold gaze. "There is no reason for what any of them did. None. It was my mistake to make. My choice. And I chose you from day one. They were jealous. They wanted what we had. The guilt I may have had about our affair, about any of it is gone completely now. Fuck them. Fuck them all."

This was the woman he loved. The fiery soul he knew resided in that tiny body. The hurricane. The strength. He kissed her passionately, pulling her body under his. Rolling on top of her, her opened her legs with his as he began to enter her.

"That's my girl." He whispered in her ear and he made love to her with the sun warming them in the morning light.

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"I wish to speak with Christian," Auggie said as he walked to the entrance of the king's office.

"Sorry," Derek said, stopping him.

"Excuse me?" Auggie was becoming more agitated by the minute.

"He's in a meeting and I was told to block all intrusions." Derek stood firmly in front of the door.

"A meeting? With whom?" Auggie asked, crossing his arms.

"His mother and Erik," Derek said.

Auggie felt his heart drop to his stomach. They had beaten him there.