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She patted his skin and scowling, she said, “It wasn’t you, Nick. Nobody believes you intentionally invited a traitor to the Moon or that you would do anything to harm us. By targeting you, our enemies know they can weaken Moon’s defence by creating mistrust and chaos. It is an effective strategy to try and create a rift in the ranks and put Moon at a disadvantage in its fight against its enemies.”
She added, her voice firm, “We feel for you. Numbers do not believe you are responsible for anything. Here, we’re all victims. This individual’s greed affects you just as much as it affects us.”
Nick disliked being referred to as a victim. He wanted to own his story and not be seen as powerless. That made him seem vulnerable, and he hated that feeling as much as he hated the anger it provoked.
“I don’t like the word victim,” he said, his tone sour, but he knew that was what this person had done to him. Causing him and Numbers to become victims of their agenda. His shoulders sagged, and he tightened his grip on her as he sighed.
When she laughed suddenly, he peered down at her, only to find her eyes dancing with delight as she looked at him. “Neither did I.” He cocked his head in confusion. “I didn’t like being called a victim,” she confessed, and he grinned at her.
Even though his rage hadn’t abated, he could feel it was significantly dulled with her in his arms, and he held onto that. He held onto her.
It was impossible for him to imagine letting her go. He had to shut off these thoughts before he became angry again because the more he thought about it, the more it enflamed the fire of rage within him.
He kissed her cheeks in thanks as he attempted to calm his breathing. Nick gazed at her face as her eyes closed.
Her lips were perfectly upturned; he moved his mouth above hers. There was a shift in the air, a sense of electricity between them. She must have felt it because she shifted closer. It was alive and tangible, just as their touch was stimulating, making his skin jump every time she touched it.
He pressed his lips against hers. She opened her mouth, but he didn’t dip in.
He breathed her in instead, like he wanted to inhale her. Like some reverse incubus, he wanted to breathe her soul into him. As opposed to devouring her and powering himself, he wanted to protect her with impenetrable walls, pure will, and hails of fiery rock. He wanted the impact to shake anyone who thought of trying to hurt her.
It would be laughable if he weren’t so damn serious about her.
Since he knew she might shy away from the intensity of his feelings, he had been concerned about controlling them initially, but as their intimacy grew, he couldn’t regret what he felt towards her.
Not for one second.
“Nick,” she breathed.
With a groan of defeat, he dipped into her mouth. The kiss was ferocious. Their bodies pressed together heatedly, breathing heavily as they tried to devour each other. The thud of their combined pulse thundered through his body as he tasted their shared breath.
He felt her shuddering breath, heard her sharp inhalation, and revelled in the response he drew from her.
After making a soft sound, she deepened the kiss. She kissed him passionately as if she was starving for him. It made him grin and groan in approval as her hands brushed over his skin.
Gentling the kiss, he opened his eyes. He could see her dazed eyes, her mouth parted, her head tilted to the side, and her face soft and relaxed. Her hair was ruffled, her lips were swollen, and she looked ready for her lover.
Resting his head on hers, panting for breath, he savoured the feeling of her for just a moment longer.
His stomach knotted as he let her go with regret. “I don’t think I can eat tonight. I just need to rest,” he said.
His hunger was of a different kind. He left her there, despite her look of disappointment, before doing something he regretted. There was something primal in him that couldn’t be denied. It was a hunger that overpowered his better judgment and left him with a sense of desperation. It was like a fire inside him that needed to be quenched, and he couldn’t resist its call.
He headed to the bathroom. Getting into the shower, he quickly washed in case she needed the bathroom. She seemed to have waited for him to return home. She must have been disappointed when he returned home angry. He groaned, slapping a hand against the wall, the water pounding his back in a punishing rhythm.
He got out and dressed, heading for his room.
A part of him wanted to sit next to her and spend time with her - just Harper and Nick, but his emotions were too raw for that. His need for her was too strong, so he retreated into his room instead of assuming a kiss meant an invitation.
The moment he slipped into bed, he knew he was in for another restless night because he heard the shower come on, and his mind immediately went into an overdrive.
At this point, he twisted to his left and threw his left arm over his head. Having tried that as well as trying the other side, nothing seemed to work, so he turned on his back and rested his arm against his head.
He heard the shower turn off. He tried to relax by taking deep breaths, but it didn’t help. He then tried to find a comfortable position, but none worked. He was desperate to fall asleep, so he began counting his breaths like counting sheep. An abrupt sigh interrupted his thoughts, and he saw a shadow moving under the door.
“What is it?” he called out to her.
“I cannot bear to hear you toss and turn for another night,” she said as she opened the door. He remained frozen to the spot on the bed after Harper closed the door behind her.
