For how long?Az asked warily.
“Until we decide to trust you again,” I replied, folding my arms. “Which might not be for averylong time.”
CHAPTER19
AZ
Convince Lucifer toleave Cami and Ajax alone—for good.
Give my Phoenix control until Ajax and Cami trust me again.
The two terms whirled around in my mind, my analytical side processing them and breaking them down into a myriad of loopholes. It was an automatic instinct created by millennia of knowing several of the universe’s most experienced deal-wielders.
There were so many ways to interpret the demand to encourage Lucifer to leave Cami and Ajax alone.Typhos is my other mate,I reminded Ajax.Lucifer will always be part of my life.
“I know,” Ajax replied. “But he won’t be part of my life or Cami’s. That’s the deal.”
You want me to convince Lucifer to stop pursuing you and Cami,I carefully rephrased.For good. And in return, you’ll give me my freedom.
“I also want you to give your Phoenix complete control.”
Yes, that, too. Until you trust me again.
His eyes narrowed. “That’s never going to happen, but yes.”
“What’s never going to happen?” Cami asked.
“Me trusting him again,” Ajax translated before informing her of what else I’d said, including my rephrasing of convincing Lucifer not to pursue them.
Cami shrugged, her expression wary. “That’s fine with me.”
But is it enough for you to eventually forgive me?I asked her softly.To trust me?
She glanced at me, causing my bird to perk up with interest. He was utterly infatuated with the female and practically ready to sprawl out on his back, belly up, for her.
When she didn’t immediately smile at him or acknowledge him, he sighed.
My Phoenix didn’t understand why she was still upset with him. In his mind, he’dfixedthe problem by biting her. She was his now. So why wasn’t she as enamored with him as he was with her?
I knew why, but I couldn’t even begin to explain it to him. It was too complicated. He didn’t think in complex terms, just instincts.
“I don’t know if I can forgive you or trust you,” she finally said. “This… is a lot, Az.”
I know,I told her.And I’m sorry. But there’s nothing I can do to reverse the bond. It’s here to stay. For eternity.
“You mean until Lucifer finds me and kills me.”
This time, I was the one who sighed, not my Phoenix.
Lucifer’s not going to kill you, Cami. Your death would kill my Phoenix. It would hurt Melek. It would hurt Ajax. And while Ajax might not believe it right now, Typhos does care about him, too. He cares about all of us. He just has a unique way of showing it.
She snorted in response. “That’s one word for it.”
He’s ancient. His methods for showing he cares are a bit archaic,I admitted.But this isn’t about Lucifer right now. It’s about you and me. Tell me what you want from me. Tell me how I can start earning your trust. I know it’ll take time. I just want to know where to start, Cami. Please.
Because there was no going back now. I had to find a way to move forward, or my Phoenix would suffer.Iwould suffer.
I needed Cami and Ajax more than they would ever know.
