Even now, Cass was hurting him. Even now, his negative energy was—
“Stop,” Riot whispered, kissing him again. “Stop thinking whatever you’re thinking. I can see it on your face. Stop.”
“I can’t—”
“I want you because you’re you.” Riot’s hands were still on his face, thumbs brushing away tears that kept falling. “You want to know? I’ll tell you.”
Cass tried to shake his head, tried to pull away, but Riot held him steady.
“I want you because you’re the only person I’ve ever met who couldn’t lie if his life depended on it.” Riot’s voice was low and fierce. “I want you because when you ask questions, you actually want to know the answers. I want you because you saw me—really saw me, Berserker and all—and you didn’t run.”
“That’s not—”
“I want you because you picked up a stranger’s bleeding hand and tried to help, even when you were bleeding too.” Riot’s eyes were burning now, gold flickering like flames. “I want you because you sewed your best friend’s picture into your clothes. I want you because when you found out someone you trusted lied, you didn’t give up—you decided to save someone.”
Cass’s breath hitched.
“You laugh like you’ve never heard anything funny before and you’re just discovering that laughter exists.” Riot’s voice cracked. “You looked at a piece of silver you didn’t even recognize and your whole face lit up like I’d given you the sun. You’re kind, Cass. Genuinely, actually kind, in a world that beats kindness out of people. And I don’t know how you held onto it—after everything they did to you, I don’t know how you’re still good—but you are. You are.”
Cass was shaking. The tears wouldn’t stop, but something in his chest was shifting—the rubble rearranging itself into something that almost felt like a foundation.
“You’re not broken,” Riot said quietly. “You’re not a burden. You’re Cass. And I—”
He stopped. Swallowed. His eyes were so bright, gold swimming in tears.
“I love—”
“Well, isn’t this romantic.”
They both froze.
Sage was sitting on the porch railing, her pack at her feet and her rifle across her lap, watching them with an expression that was equal parts amusement and wariness. Her moss-green hair caught the starlight, and her eyes moved between them calmly.
“How long have you been there?” Riot demanded.
“Long enough.” Sage slid off the railing, shouldering her pack in one smooth motion. “You two done? Because we’re burning moonlight.”
“Granny Lu said you couldn’t come.”
“Granny Lu says a lot of things.” Sage’s voice was flat, but there was steel underneath. “I’m coming anyway.”
Riot’s jaw tightened. “She’ll be furious.”
“She’ll get over it. Or she won’t. Either way, I’m coming.” Sage’s eyes moved to Cass, then back to Riot. “What’s the drama? He looks like someone ran over his puppy and then backed up to make sure.”
Cass’s face burned. He turned away, swiping at his eyes with the sleeve of Lilac’s too-big jacket, trying to pull himself together. His stomach was doing strange things—swoopy, fluttery, still spinning from the kiss and the words.
Behind him, he heard Riot move closer to Sage and the low murmur of Riot’s voice, too quiet to make out individual words. The tone was flat. Urgent. Angry underneath.
He caught fragments. —behind a door— and —Chrysalis wasn’t— and —going to kill him—
Sage took in a sharp breath.
“Fuck.” Her voice was barely a whisper, but Cass heard it anyway and flinched.
“Yeah,” Riot said quietly.
When Sage spoke again, her voice was different. Harder. More focused. “Okay. We’re taking two cars.”
