Page 103 of Forsaken Devotion: Part 2
“Lucian didn’t know?” Verity mouthed, her eyes widened as her shoulders tensed.
Lucian was already storming toward me. I retreated until my back hit the counter. Rage flitted over my mate’s expression.
“Shit,” she whispered.
“I’m back,” Alex called, his steps echoing closer and closer. My lungs pulsed from not breathing. The literal worst timing.
He stopped inside the kitchen, eyes sweeping across all of us.
Lucian snarled, the terrifying sound ripping through the kitchen and echoing off the walls. Verity gasped, backing up.
I lunged for Lucian’s arm and hugged it.
“You touched my mate?” Lucian said quietly, his attention fully on Alex, whose eyes widened. He slowly lowered the plastic shopping bag to the floor and put his hands up.
“It was a mistake.” I could feel Lucian vibrate from the rage pouring off him. “She’s like my sister?—”
Lucian went stiff. “Yourmate. I would never have done anything?—”
He took a step forward, forcing me to stumble.
All I could do was mouthruntoward Alex.Lucianwas so still it was frightening.
“I kissed him,” I shouted. “Me.” He inhaled and exhaled in harsh bursts.
As soon as he charged, I threw my weight at Lucian, wrapping my arms around his waist, stopping him halfway to the door.
Verity screamed and dashed to Alex.
“What’s going on?” Alex’s voice echoed to me. Verity rushed him out, whispering to him.
“Sorry,” Verity cried out. “I’ll make sure Alex?—”
“Doesn’t show his face for a while,” I finished off, panting as I scrambled to hold him back, my legs dragging after Lucian’s relentless stride.
“Ever,” Lucian bellowed, his shout ringing through my ears. With his next step, and with my grip on him, he caused my hip to knock into the chair and send it onto its side.
“Damn,” I muttered and swung my leg around so fast it sent my momentum to the side. Using the grip around his neck, I hoisted myself higher, tangling my leg around his thigh to hinder him.
The front door finally slammed shut. My arms burned from climbing up him.
“Lucian, enough,” I snapped and used my hold on a bunch of his hair to force him to look at me. His eyes were glassy.
“Stop,” I hissed into his face. “I kissed him.”
He snarled and pinned me to the wall. He seemed maddened, and my heart wouldn’t stop pounding. He became so still. Words stuck in my throat, and I couldn’t breathe.
“Youkissed him?” It was said as a question, but it didn’t feel like one. He stared at me, chest pumping up and down. “Why?” he croaked, pain shattering his gaze.
Seeing him hurt only made me ache.
“I wanted to hurt you,” I choked out and licked my lower lip. “I wanted you to feel what I had to live with. Every. Single. Time.”
His shoulders jerked like my words were physical blows.
He leaned forward until his forehead rested on the wall he pinned me against. I stayed still. After a few deep breaths, I managed to muster the courage to lift my hand to his neck, cupping it. The tension gradually melted away as we remained frozen in each other’s arms. I rubbed my thumb against the column of his throat. I understood his pain.
My panicked heart calmed.
