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“What does it matter? I’m married. There is no future for me until I escape this marriage.”
“Then Theo and I will wait until that time comes.”
“You don’t even know what escape means for me.”
“Do you hate us so much, Angel?”
I expected her to reprimand me about calling her Angel again, but she shook her head and said, “No, I don’t hate you. I wanted to, but in the end, I couldn’t do it.”
“What can we do to get you to forgive us?”
“I’m not sure yet. For now, stop talking about anything but the present. Yes, we have our past. There is no changing that.” She closed her eyes, and for the briefest of seconds, I believed she’d let herself break and cry as she’d done when we were younger and allow me to hold her.
I’d been the one she came to for comfort, the one she shared all her emotions with. Theo had been the one to help her think, give her ideas, and help her plot.
“However, you and Theo are my protection. Nothing more. I can’t cross that line. Ever. I could be the stupidest fucking person in the world, considering everything that happened. Still, I trust the two of you.”
I clenched my jaw and opened my mouth to counter her statement, but she lifted her hand to stay me and continued, “This whole thing with Nyx, Lilly, and Devani is my thing, and I know you will help me. I don’t know where it will lead, but it gives me hope. That’s all I have for the first time in a long time. I need that.”
“We’ll give you anything you need.”
“Would you let me go?”
She had to be kidding me.
“What are you talking about, Nerine?” Theo asked from his position in the back corner of the room.
The startled expression on Nerine’s face made it very clear she hadn’t seen him sitting on the armchair by the window.
“I hate it when you do that shit,” she shouted at him. “Why can’t you announce your presence like a normal person? What the hell is wrong with you? I told you this when we were kids, and I’m telling you now. It’s creepy as fuck. You’re a grown man. Act like one.”
She cocked a hand on her hip and glowered at Theo. Her sapphire blue eyes sparkled with irritation, and a crease formed between her brows. She’d utterly transformed into the girl I’d fallen for in my youth, the fiery viper ready to punch someone in the face.
“Oh, so she is in there.” Theo rose from his seat. “I wondered when the real Nerine planned to make an appearance.”
“Who the fuck are you talking to? I swear to God, you make me want to punch you.”
“The bratty angel with a vicious tongue. Those company manners you kept throwing at us, where you pretended to be nice. We asked you to behave, not cloak yourself in that facade you wear for the public. We want the real Nerine. This mask was starting to get on my nerves.”
“I’ll show you who’s getting on whose nerves, you overgrown jackass.” She moved toward him, and at the same time, Theo stalked toward her. “I’m going to punch you in that smug face.”
“Give it your best shot, brat.”
I blew out a breath. This was about to get out of hand. I hated being the diplomat. In the past, I’d let them fuck it out, and then I’d get the sweet, compliant version of my Angel, who’d do whatever I told her.
However, since that was nowhere near an option, the Universe had decided that my job was to play interference.
I stretched my hands out in both directions, one shoving Theo back hard, though he came right back at me, and the other gently set against Nerine’s chest.
“The two of you need to settle down. I get it. We have too much history, feel too much, and want too much. No matter how much I wish we could, we can’t handle this as we used to.” I blew out a deep breath and then added, “When the fuck did I become the logical one?”
As if my words sent a surge of energy around us, Theo and Nerine stilled, taking in everything I said.
All our unsteady breaths filled the air, as did the presence of undisguised arousal and need. The buildup from the multitude of days pulsed between us as if it were a living thing.
My cock strained to a painful level, and I had no doubt Theo stood in the same state.
The drive to slide my hand up the column of Nerine’s neck, kiss those bruises, ease her discomfort, and then tug her mouth to mine pulled at every ounce of my control.
