Page 64 of Inside the Wicked

How will I tell him I’ve been with Alistair all this time? That it’s how I know how to use a gun. Will he forgive me for taking the hand of his evil uncle, colluding with Jacob Forthson, and trying to gain the help of Silas Balenheizer? Everyone Rhett despises.

Rhett runs a hand along the couch as his blue eyes shift to me. “You said you got this place forus,” he says, equally as quiet. “Yet you saw the car wreck. He said you believed I was dead.”

“I couldn’t,” I say, taking tentative steps toward him. “You promised you wouldn’t leave me, and I believed you. I couldn’taccept you were gone, and I-I did things. Some terrible things, because I had totryto find you. I don’t know what it makes me now, if you’ll even still see me the same or what ...” I trail off. My throat becomes too tight.

“Ana—”

I shake my head. “You don’t have to say anything. Not until you hear all I’ve done—” My words are cut off by the whimper that escapes me when Rhett takes my face in his hands.

“I know,” he says, searching me with those blue eyes I’ve missed so painfully. “He made me watch you often. I know you were with him, and I think I know why. But when you’re ready, I’ll hear it all from you.”

I’m slammed by shock.

He was watching me all this time? I don’t know how to feel about it. Relief that he knows. Anger at Alistair, as I’m sure it was some twisted tactic to torment Rhett. Sadness. Such terrible sadness, because I know it would have worked, and once again I was a weapon used against him.

“I’m so sorry,” I choke out.

“You said that before, and I don’t want to hear it again. Please. I can’t bear it.”

“I just wanted to be strong enough. Brave enough. I wanted to findyou,yet somehow you still found me first.”

His thumb sweeps the tear falling down my face. “No. You found me, little bird. Only, I’m still reeling at how, because out of everything I think I’m pretty damn good at figuring out, I can’t for the life of me work out how the fuck you managed to ally with Silas Balenheizer.”

My next breath shudders in disbelief. “He got you out?”

He only nods. “You are everything, Ana. You’re the most strong, brave, and brilliant person I’ve ever known. And I fucking missed you every second of every damn day.”

His lips angle to meet mine, and waves of longing and relief crash into me in a sob that escapes between our desperate kiss. We have so much to talk about. It’s a long road to healing and mending and finishing what we started. We’re inside the wicked now, and the only way to kill the kings of the underworld is together.

I lift myself up into Rhett’s arms, and he sets me on the kitchen island.

“This place is perfect,” he says, trailing his lips down my neck. “But it’s not safe for us to stay here.”

“Where will we go?”

“The safest place for you would be to stay with your parents for a while.”

My hand tightens in his hair, forcing him to look up at me. I can hardly stand the bruises and cuts over his perfect face. My fingers lightly reach for a scab on his temple.

“Don’t say that.” I’m angry, riddled with anxiety, because I feared he’d push me away.

“It’s true.”

“But not what you want.”

“No.” He squeezes my thighs. With a palm flattened on my lower back, he presses me tighter to him. “I don’t ever want you out of my sight again.”

My eyes flutter with the relief. “Good.” I kiss him, only once, as a promise. “I’m not going anywhere you’re not going.”

“I wish you wouldn’t say that, but more so, it’s selfish of me to be damn relieved to hear it.”

My legs tighten, and it’s as if we can never be close enough. I don’t want any fraction of distance from him.

“Where’s the bathroom?” he asks, lifting me off the counter.

I direct him into the en suite, and he lets me turn on the large walk-in shower.

Rhett looks me over, pain slicing his eyes once again. I must look an absolute sorry state. Smudged makeup, tangled hair, ripped clothing. Bloodstained. I can’t bear to look in the mirror when I fear I’ll picture Micah.

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