Page 57 of Ashes and Lilies
“Should I be?” I put my finger to my lip. “You already said that Titus wasn’t going to rip out my throat and feast on my flesh.”
Miles raised an eyebrow. “No one ever said that.”
I hadn’t been frightened a second ago, but now I was beginning to be. “Oh.”
I had let my guard down. I was so stupid. I had survived my childhood by trusting my initial instincts, and yet I had fallen into this trap of seduction. And now it was too late. Titus was going to eat me.
“You asshole.” Julian frowned at Miles, shaking his head in disapproval. “Why would you say it like that?”
“I was only clarifying that no one actually said those words.” Miles shrugged, watching my face. Suddenly, realization washed over him. “Wait, you seriously thought—”
My short, pathetic life was flashing before my eyes asscreaming echoed in my head. The mark on my chest pulsed in time with my heartbeat, and I was lost in memory.
The room was still—everyone, even Titus—was stone, afraid to move.
All except…
“Baby girl.” Damen sat on the coffee table and grabbed my hands. I stared at his hands holding mine. “No one in this room would ever hurt you,” he said, echoing Julian’s earlier assurance. And I knew he was right, but now that the trigger had been switched, I couldn’t escape.
“The fact that…” he began, then paused before finally commanding, “Look at me.”
My eyes snapped up at once, unable to deny his request even as my mind remained numb. When our gazes met, Damen’s mouth twisted into a scowl.
“Now this—” He furrowed his brows.”—has nothing to do with us. Who do you think is going to hurt you?”
His questions shattered through the haze. I couldn’t get away from his touch fast enough.
“Leave me alone!” I pulled away from him. But they were everywhere even though no one had moved, and the room was so small compared to their much larger frames.
“Bianca—” Damen reached for me again. “What happened?”
I stared at him as my fingers tangled in my hair. Why was he asking now?
There was a familiar swelling in my chest, a breathlessness to the air, struggling to break free.
“Let it go,” Titus interrupted Damen as he placed one of his large hands against my upper back. My breath strangled in my throat, and Damen glanced at him. “It’s okay, princess,” he said, and his gaze entrapped me as the chaos inside me quieted. “We won’t push you for any more information.”
“It’s certainly not okay—” Damen began, but Titus ignored him.
“You’re fine now. I’m not going to hurt you,” he said. His gaze was serious and determined, and I couldn’t escape it.
“I know,” I said. The longer I looked at him, the sillier I felt. “You’re a nice dragon.”
“A nice dragon?” Titus lifted his eyebrow. “Is there such a thing?”
“Yes.” I was sure of it. No matter his day-to-day activities, I could sense it in his heart. He was sweet, caring, and sensitive. He’d gone out of his way for me when I was only a stranger.
Even if the rest of the world was afraid of him—of any of them—I knew, more than I’d ever known anything else before, that these were the kindest men I’d ever met.
12
Titus left soonafter his reveal, followed by Julian, who had to see his grandfather. He probably wanted to finish whatever he’d planned before I interrupted their meeting earlier.
However, we were not left bereft, for Maria appeared soon thereafter with multiple boxes of pizza and a large purple duffle bag in her possession.
“Here, see what you’d like!” she told me, throwing the bag on the floor at my feet. She ordered the remaining two men around, demanding the furniture be rearranged and various snacks assembled. Meanwhile, I sat on the floor in front of the fireplace and began to organize the items she’d brought.
Miles frowned at the pizza. “I could have made something”
