Page 27 of Blood So Brutal

A reminder tolive.

Her fingers moved to curl around mine. “I don’t know what to say, Wolf. Thank you.”

A single tear escaped her charcoal-lined eyes, and I reached up to swipe it away quickly with my thumb. “Happy birthday, Huntress.”

“Will you help me hide this in my dress?” Her voice suddenly became more hopeful than I had heard it in weeks.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Promise me you won’t go stabbing Asmodeus the first chance you get. You know he can’t be killed with this, right?”

She turned toward the bathroom. “It wouldn’t hurt to try.”

She braced herself over the counter, waiting for me. I sauntered after her, taking in every inch of her beauty before I reached up and unlaced her delicate bodice.

My body buzzed at the feeling of my hands brushing against her skin. Being this close to her always had that effect on me, always caused my heart to beat faster, my senses to lock in on her.

Ever so slowly, lace after lace, I untied her dress.

I stayed focused on my task, eyes not wandering to her breasts that became more and more exposed as I further unlaced her.

She remained silent.

It wasn’t until I unlaced her dress down to her waist that I finally looked in the mirror, only to find her looking back at me. A wave of emotion hit me though our bond. The last few days, it had been rare to get even a hint of what she was feeling.

It was as if she opened the floodgates, no longer hiding behind those walls she built.

I sucked in a breath as sweet longing and lust hit me. I ran my finger down her bare spine, feeling it even more.

“Huntress,” I whispered, eyes fluttering closed.

She spun to face me, still leaning against the counter but looking directly into my eyes now. “Why did you do it?” she asked.

Through the lust and longing and want of the bond, I felt something break through, like glass shattering. It was hurt, pain, but not physical. This pain was deeper, darker, the kind you couldn’t see.

And it was ten times worse.

“Do what?” I searched her eyes, looking for her beneath the sudden clouds in her features.

“You know what. Don’t make me say it again.”

Why did I betray her? Hurt her? Turn her in? Tell her I loved her and go back on everything I said?“I thought, once I completed the job for my father, I would get my white wings back. I thought he would allow me at least that for returning from Moira with you. I was naive back then, and I hadn’t met you yet.”

She waited, eyes wide. “You did this all for wings?”

I lifted a hand and ran my pointer finger down her jaw. She tilted her head further, giving me more access as she closed her eyes briefly.

“I meant what I said earlier. He can take my wings ten times over if it means keeping you safe. All of that—the agreement with him, the plan to bring you back here—was before I knew you. Before I fell for you. Before I had a reason to fight for anything more.”

Her eyes opened, glistening with fresh tears. “And now? He takes your wings and you do nothing but sit back and watch?”

“I’m waiting for the right time,” I answered. “My time will come, Huntress, and I swear to the goddess above, I’ll put a stop to this.”

Her chest rose with a breath. “I don’t want to get hurt again. I can’t.”

“I know.”

“I’m afraid to trust you again.”

A breath lingered between us.

---