Page 90 of Secrets & Curses of Fate

“Would you like me to kill them for you?” I half-joked. “You are so much better than them.”

His eyes filled with sudden emotion. He wasn’t used to someone thinking highly of him, but I would spend our life making sure he always knew how worthy he was. He was worth all the stars in the sky.

He took a deep breath.

“Shut the fuck up,” Haden snapped at them when they kept talking. I smiled proudly at him.

“What did you say, freak?”

“Shut the fuck up. I didn’t stutter.”

“Oh, someone thinks they can fight back.” The ugly one took a step toward Haden.

I moved so I could kill them if they touched him, but I needn’t have worried. His eyes filled with cold frost. “That’s it, Haden; use that magic pulsing inside of you.” Haden looked at me, and I saw the boys noticed him looking too. I was sure that this side of Haden was unaware of how much power his magic had.

“Look, the freak is staring at his invisible girlfriend.”

After a second, I saw the change for myself. Haden looked at me as he cracked his neck, and a shiver seemed to run through him. He closed his eyes tightly, and when he opened them, they immediately found me.

The stormy color of his eyes now almost seemed endlessly black. The void was here, and it made me swallow hard. Haden’s soft, friendly features had disappeared and were replaced by hard, unforgiving lines. Fuck me, I really liked the way he smiled at me when he was like this. Like he would make every dirty thought I ever had about him come true. His eyes drifted slowly from my feet all the way up my body, admiring, savoring. I swallowed hard as his gaze set my skin on fire with desire.

“Della, baby, you’re drooling,” he teased. I snapped my mouth shut as the term of endearment shot lust through me. I could feel my magic pulsing out of control, my eyes flashing white.

“The freak is talking to her.”

“Actually, Della, I think I do want to hurt them.”

I smiled from behind them. My magic was already causing more clouds to move over us, darkening the sky. Haden’s emotionless eyes watched me without a care that these bastards were witness to it.

“But first, Haden, let’s put these accusations to rest.” He watched me, confused. I smiled as I took a step toward him. The air shifted immediately as I let myself be seen. My eyes stared deeply into Haden’s as I continued to walk toward him. The group surrounding him gasped as I made my way past them, not breaking eye contact with Haden for a second. A big grin took over his face as I reached him. I could not stop my mating bond from overwhelming me as I reached out, my hands resting on his chest before they moved up to his shoulders.

“Touch me, Haden,” I whispered.

He didn’t need any more encouragement as his big hands grabbed me by the hips, tugging me closer to him and wrapping his arms around my back. Stars, he was warm as I pulled him to me for a hug. I inhaled his scent.

“You feel good, Storm,” he purred in my ear. His hands slid down the length of my body before coming back up and gripping my hair in his hands. He yanked me back enough so that he could see my face. Gods, we had an audience, and I couldn't care less. His eyes traced over my face before dropping to my mouth.

Would he kiss me if I begged? He gave me a sly smirk like he could read my mind. Haden pulled me against him, hugging me so his mouth was against my ear.?

“I haven’t stopped thinking about your pretty mouth, Storm. Tell me you’ve been thinking about kissing me again.”?

“Yes.”?

He hummed softly as his mouth kissed below my ear.

“Spill their blood,” he commanded. "And I'll give you a reward."

I sucked my bottom lip in and bit down on it, drawing it back out slowly in pleasure as his words turned me on in such a delicious way.

“Who the fuck is that?” one of the men asked, interrupting Haden and me.

I pulled back and smiled at the gaping faces of the mean men and Kira. I held Haden’s arm and rested my head on his shoulder.

“Who is that?” Kira hissed, demanding an answer imperiously.

Stars, Haden was like a statue, unmoving and unbreathing. I could feel his power rolling off of him in confident waves. I did not know what side of him I liked more, the shy, quiet one or this one that didn’t give a shit about anything— anything but me, that is. Both—I loved both sides.

“Him?” The ugliest man laughed humorlessly. “Sweetheart, I can give you anything you want. Haden can’t give you anything. Whatever he said to you was likely a lie. Did he tell you his family is one of the poorest in the village? His father is the town drunk, and his mother is a spineless whore. I can treat you better than he ever could.”

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