Page 64 of V for Vengeance

I glared at Cash, but he went on despite it.

“You might not believe me because you’re too distracted by your ridiculous Hunter pride to trust her the way I do, but I’lldo anything for her. For some incomprehensible reason, she likes you and wants you around, so I’m willing to do whatever it takes to prove to you sodding brutes that I’m not a danger to her. Use that blasted bracelet to convince yourself if you must, but if that’s what it takes, then I’m willing to satisfy your savior complex to stay beside her. I won’t pretend to understand what she sees in you—gods know I can’t fathom what an oaf like you has to offer her aside from a headache—but I’ve honored every promise I’ve made to V, and you won’t keep me from honoring this one.”

Phillip scoffed, unconvinced. My power failed, and both Hunters worked in sync to get me away from him, but Cash intercepted them with his magic. Suddenly, I was feet away, wrapped in the Dark Fae’s arms, protected by a glistening barrier of magic. Jo watched the rest of us with curiosity, but she didn’t appear worried. Her eyes bounced from Cash to me, and as if piecing something together, she shrugged.

“The asshole’s in love with her,” she exclaimed with a little humorless laugh.

What? Who loved who? I was the only one surprised to hear it. My two Hunters dropped their eyes, not the least bit shocked by the admission. Wait a fucking second…

Was I the only one who hadn’t pieced that together?

I looked at Cash for confirmation. He shrugged like it wasn’t a secret. What the shit?! Why am I the last one to know? He loved me? Why? Was I this oblivious? Like me enough to kiss me, sure, but love? How did any of that make sense?

But I couldn’t ask him questions because Jo went on like she hadn’t dropped another bomb on my life. “Doesn’t take a genius to figure that out. He’s not exactly hiding it. You Hunters are just blinded by your determination to keep her for yourself that you’ve decided he’s done it with motive and not because he cares. But this Dark Fae has been her faithful shadow all thistime. I don’t like it, but he did everything he could to protect her from Serine. From herself. He even went after her the second he could. Not really the actions of someone trying to hurt her, is it? Maybe someone who’s obsessed, but who isn’t in this group?”

I was blindsided. Out of everyone, I hadn’t expected Jo to come to his defense. And by the way Cash’s mouth dropped open in surprise, he hadn’t either.

Jo twirled her dagger like always and pushed off the tree after stealing a saucy look at me. “Never thought I’d ever cross paths with a Hand of Death, let alone be forced to defend one, but here we are. Facts are facts. What a fucking joke you boys are. Go ahead and throw your toxic masculinity you’ve masked as protection around all you want, but I say we get a move on the next target. We’re too close now to lose our edge. I’m not going to let yourobsessionruin what we’re here to do. If this Hand of Death wants to help us bring down the bastards running the show, then who are we to say no? Not exactly smart to turn down powerful allies right now, is it?”

My mouth opened, but Jo winked at me and disappeared. I hadn’t figured that woman out at all since meeting her. She continued to be a mystery anytime she talked. It wasn’t even the sexy kisses and touches; she’d been hot and cold but always on point. She never lost sight of her goal, and I was a little ashamed that I couldn’t say the same.

I peeked at Sloan. His eyes caught mine before he came over. “I promise I won’t attack, but I’d like to have a word with V if I could.”

Cash still had his arms around me, but he let me go. “If you must.”

What a fucking mess.

Phillip propped himself up on the tree I’d pinned him to, crossed his arms, and watched us without uttering another word. Sloan leveled a serious look on me before his lipstwitched. He opened his arms, waiting. Emotion crowded my throat. Without another moment of hesitation, I walked into his awaiting embrace, and the gorgeous Brit hugged me close before sighing in obvious relief.

“I’ve missed you, darling.”

I pressed my face into his chest, home again. “I’ve missed you, too.”

“Be honest with me,” he finally murmured, causing my eyes to stray up to his. “Why do you think you can trust him after all he’s done?”

I opened and closed my mouth, not sure how to answer. His eyes danced around my face, and like always, he waited patiently. I glanced at Cash who pretended to be incredibly focused on his nail polish, but his jaw was rigid. And when his eyes stole a sneaky glance my direction before quickly returning to his hand, I finally figured out what to say.

“Who he was before isn’t who he is now.”

The beautiful man I’d missed every day since he’d left stayed silent for a moment, then he squeezed me close. He didn’t say anything else, just held me for a long beat.

I’d missed his heat. I couldn’t help but push into it. I couldn’t fathom how I could feel so strongly for so many people but in entirely different ways. I couldn’t compare the feelings. What I felt here in Sloan’s arms differed from how I felt in Cash, Jo, or Phillip’s. And I sunk into it, reveling in a quiet moment where I was embraced and no one said a word.

No one moved.

But it was over too quick for my liking. Reality came crashing back in when Sloan pulled away. His hands glided down my arms before his touch was gone, and it took all my strength not to chase after him.

I’d missed him so much, and it wasn’t enough. I wanted to kiss him, touch him, breathe him in for as long as it took tomake up for the weeks we’d been apart. I was afraid that I might not feel his touch again after this; that the bomb I’d set off in my relationships by sticking with Cash wasn’t one we’d recover from. Was everything a mistake? Would I always regret this moment?

My throat hurt, but I swallowed and lifted my chin, eyes burning, terrified I’d cry. That wouldn’t be fair to either of them. I’d made my choice, and I refused to manipulate them with tears. Instead, I’d show them I wasn’t wrong for trusting Cash. My gut told me this was what I needed to do, and even if it took a while, I’d make them see it.

Sloan glanced at Phillip from over his shoulder. “Let’s leave this issue for now, love. I need to speak with you,” he murmured, smiling in an uncomfortably sad way.

That look of his made me anxious. “What’s going on?”

Shaking his head, Sloan guided me into a walk, bypassing Cash with a steely glare. “Not here, love.”

We made it back to camp, but Phillip hadn’t said a word to me. His silence was deafening. But then again, so was Sloan’s. They were so sure I’d fallen under some spell Cash cast, but whatever made them drop the subject to return to camp still haunted the air between us.

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