Page 31 of Fire Kissed
Latham
Heavy thoughts weighme down far more than when I sat in that cell with the weight of Hell Magic binding me in place. She looked right with him. Aric will only get her into trouble. Even if he does bring out more happiness in her then I’ve ever seen. The laughter he gives her won’t keep her safe.
Torben can though. And I never even considered it until tonight.
She belongs with him. Torben’s just too dense to see it.
And she’s too blinded by the two of us stepping in her way. Aric will never step back. He’ll ride the good time until it all shatters around him, and then he won’t even have any part of her left in his life.
I won’t let that happen. I’ll keep her. Even if I have to watch Torben love her for the rest of my miserable life. At least I’ll still be there with her.
It just won’t be the way I want. And I can live with that.
As long as she’s safe.
“What the fuck’s your problem?” Aric whispers as we trail behind the two lovebirds, Torben leading the way, as he always does.
He guides us down the last mile of the metal wall that spans on like the big wall they built in China once upon a time. We’ve hiked along in the dense darkness for hours without Aric prying.
I should have known he’d crack eventually.
“Nothing,” I say casually, not letting the regret in my throat sting my words.
“She would have let you join. Why didn’t you want to join?” he asks stupidly, as if I was left out of a good game of double Dutch instead of a damn Eiffel threesome.
I turn my head slowly and really take the idiot in. He’s lucky the gods blessed him with a strong jaw and nice eyes, or he’d never make it in life.
“It’s not about that. I’m fine.” I shrug and try my best to ignore the prying look he’s throwing at me.
A beat passes without another invasive question, and for once, I think he’s gotten the hint.
“Rhys, Latham’s back here crying because you didn’t fuck him too.” Aric tattles.Literallyfucking tattles.
The sigh that shoves from my lungs is just as exhausting as the asshole striding next to me.
“No. No I’m not,” I say quickly as she looks back at me and completely stops walking.
Shit.
“I’m fine. He’s being ridiculous,” I try once more.
But she’s still looking at me with big eyes like an emotional alarm bell has sounded here in the second ring of Hell.
Shit.
Torben nods Aric forward, and with a cruel smile, the dragon jogs forward to join him at his side. The two of them walking in sync like asshole soul mates. Rhys lingers until I meet her, and there’s a reluctance in me to walk with her through the last part of our trek. I’m dreading speaking to her more than I’m dreading seeing Hela again.
I’m a mess.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers, her emotions shadowing across her face with a mixture of worry and regret.
No! Dammit!
My hand grips hers until we stop just yards from the cliff up ahead. The long span of the rambling wall finally stops.
“You have nothing to be sorry for.” Her lips part, but I continue on, blurting out what I should have said to her from the very start. “I’m not the one, Rhys. I’m the friend. I get it. My magic can’t protect you. Aric. Gods, Aric is definitely not the one. If you hear anything I say, please listen when I say the good-time guy is never the one.” I shake my head and can’t reach the anxious breath that stuck in my lungs. “Torben’s the one, Love.” Her eyebrows lower heavily with a hard line etching between her pretty eyes. “You and I both know it. We all know it,” I say so quietly, it fucking hurts.
It rips my heart right out just to speak those words to her.
