I hate when he makes sense.It feels unnatural.
He pushes off the cage.“Don’t dress it up.Don’t make decisions for her while pretending to protect her.Tell her what she is.Tell her what it means.Tell her what it doesn’t mean.Then shut up long enough for her to decide what to do with it.”
My beast snarls at the idea of waiting.“And if she walks away?”I ask.
Cruz’s face stills.The question costs me more than blood.
“If she walks away,” he says quietly, “you let her.”
My chest hollows out, and the beast inside me roars so violently my horns ache beneath my skin, and I close my eyes.
Let her.
Two words.A world I am not sure I can survive.But if I can’t let her walk away, then I don’t deserve her staying.
“I know,” I say.
Cruz watches me for a long moment, then nods once.“Good.Try not to make her cry.”I glare at him.He opens the cage door.“Or do.Women like emotional honesty.I hear that from reliable sources.”
“Ari?”
“Terrifyingly reliable.”He leaves before I can throw something.
****
By the time night settlesover Brooklyn, I have walked the building six times, checked the wards twice, even though I can’t read magic, threatened a ghoul for looking suspicious while buying cigarettes in the alley, and almost taken Cruz’s head off when he hummed a wedding march under his breath.
I am fine.I am absolutely not fine.
At 11:00, Briana sends a message through Ari.Not a text.Ari herself appears at the bottom of the stairs with pink hair, yellow boots, and a face full of warning.
“She says to meet her on the roof.”
My stomach drops.“The roof?”
“Yes.The roof.Where there’s air and no audience.”Ari steps closer and points a glitter-painted nail at my chest.“Listen to me, Horns.”
I look down at her finger, and Malichai growls from behind her.
I look past Ari.“Control your mate.”
Ari spins.“Don’t even think about it, dragon.”
Malichai’s mouth shuts, and I almost respect him.
Ari turns back to me.“Briana is stronger than anyone gives her credit for, but don’t confuse strong with invulnerable.Tell her the truth.All of it.And, Knox?”
“What?”
“If you hurt her because you are too scared to be honest, I will let Akasha turn your horns into candleholders.”
I stare at her.“She can do that?”
Ari smiles.“Do you want to find out?”
“No.”
“Excellent.”She pats my chest.“Go be emotionally devastating.”
