Page 34 of Twisted Desire

“Skylar, you’re kind of scaring me right now,” he admits, his eyes roaming my face as if he’s gauging my reaction.

“It’s okay. Really.” I hold my hands out to him.

He takes them and exhales slowly. “You’re sure about this?” he checks.

I nod, closing my eyes to fade back into the worst night of my life.

I barely registered the sound of Sebastian’s zipper over the ringing in my ears. That must be what shock felt like. There was one final moment before he would shove himself inside me, and I wished something—anything—would stop him.

I closed my eyes and waited for it to be over. For Sebastian to take what he wanted, pull me off the ground, and blame me for the way he treated me.

Except, it never came. One minute Sebastian was breathing heavily on top of me, and the next he was gone. The sound of ringing in my ears was replaced by shouting. A rage-filled voice cut the air. I forced myself to sit up and watched as Tristan Westbrook, the leader of the dark fae—of my people—held Sebastian by the throat.

I wanted to scream, to cry, to beg him not to kill Sebastian. But why? I knew it was what he deserved, but I loved him. I shouldn’t, but that didn’t mean anything right then.

Tristan dropped him to his feet. Sebastian stared at him with wide, fear-filled eyes—much like how I’d looked athimbefore. I watched Tristan smile—it made my blood run cold—and then he punched him hard in the jaw.

Sebastian fell to the ground, howling in pain as he clutched the side of his face.

Another fae came jogging out of the building and glanced between Tristan and Sebastian.

“Max—”

“I’ve got it,” he replied in a tight voice. He grabbed Sebastian off the ground and dragged him away.

Tristan exhaled slowly and turned to face me.

My eyes snapped to his as my heart slammed into my ribcage. The second he took a step closer, I scrambled back, trying to get up. I yelped in pain, unable to get to my feet. “Please,” I said, my voice cracking.

Tristan shrugged off his jacket and knelt beside me, draping it over me. “I’m not going to hurt you,” he said in a calm voice. “I don’t think you can stand on your own. May I help you?”

I blinked, and tears fell down my cheeks. I couldn’t speak, not even to the man who’d saved my life.

He sat on the ground opposite to me. “We can stay here as long as you need.”

We stayed there for almost an hour before I finally found my voice. And then I vowed that no man—noperson—would dare treat me without respect ever again.

I wipe the wetness from my cheeks as I stand there, waiting for Nikolai to say something.

He slowly takes my face in his hands. His touch is warm and light as a feather. Where I used to feel suffocated, now I feel comforted. “You,” he says, “are the strongest person I have ever met.”

Sliding my hands up his arms to wrap my fingers around his wrists, I lean in closer. “Thank you,” I say, resting my forehead against his, and the weight on my chest, the baggage I’ve been carrying since Sebastian, is finally gone.

9

“Ididn’t just come to bust your ass,” Nikolai says over breakfast the next morning. We ordered a shit ton of food to the room after spending last night sleeping together. When I saysleeping together, that’s exactly what I mean. There was no sex had whatsoever. We slept, legs entwined and arms wrapped around each other as if we were both terrified to let go. It was... oddly exhilarating. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it as much as I did, but sitting here in the bed we shared last night, I know one thing: I never want to share a bed with another man again. I only want Nikolai.

My voice cracks when I say, “Oh?” I clear my throat and repeat the word.

He gives me an odd look but doesn’t question it. “I was reading over the list after the meeting. I was coming to tell you about a facility. I think you and I can handle it on our own while the others take care of the Fairlane facility. Adelaide is about an hour from here. There are only five or six members using it. Between the two of us, it shouldn’t be too difficult to shut down.” His eyes sparkle. “We make a decent team.”

I don’t bother trying to hide my grin. “The best team,” I correct him, stealing a piece of bacon from his plate.

We finish breakfast, and I head into the washroom to shower. Nikolai isn’t far behind. I tiptoe across the cold white tile floor and turn the shower on, but before I can undress, he wraps an arm around my waist. He spins me around and plants a kiss against my cheek.

I laugh. “What are you doing?”

He pokes my nose. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” His eyes flick toward the shower then back to me, smirking softly.

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