“What were they doing?” Landon asks quietly, treading lightly around the subject.
Which, to be fair, I did take an entire week to grow a pair and fly us out here to Texas. Reliving this past life, this piece of me I’ve buried, is so difficult it hurts. I’m not used to being weak, toshowingweakness.
But if this is what Landon needs to forgive me, I’ll do it. I’ll do anything.
“The short version? They were cruel,” I confess.
“And the long version?” He slips his hand into mine, as if he knows I need the comfort.
It occurs to me suddenly that this is the first time we’ve ever held hands outside of sex. I squeeze his palm even tighter.
“The long version is that my mother and my brother also had illusion. They used it against others, whether it was to get away with stealing or to scare people they hated. Any malicious thing you can think of that illusion could be used for, they most definitely did it.”
“Does that… did that include you? Did they use it against you?” Landon asks quietly.
Memories of that dingy house and my vicious family surround me. I see myself at nine years old, stuck in a pitch-black room as my brother laughed from outside the door. I can feel my mother’s hands tightening around my arms as she shows me what would happen to our family if anyone ever saw my bruises.
“Yes,” I murmur, and as my eyes begin to feel a bit wet, Landon’s grip becomes firmer and more demanding.
I turn my head to face him again as he says, “You don’t have to explain anymore. I think I get it. But… how did you stop them?”
A heavy sigh leaves me. “I teamed up with Calum. And while they were sleeping one night, we took the injector gun to their necks and repressed their gifts. They never spoke to me again, of course.”
Something dark and pained crosses Landon’s features as he undoubtedly remembers going through the very same thing.
“Sorry,” I add. “I shouldn’t have—”
“It’s alright,” he interrupts. “They didn’t go to the police?”
“And say what? That their magic powers were taken in the middle of the night by their own?”
Landon chuckles, and that cloudy, agonized expression leaves his features. “Good point. Wait, how did you cover up what happened at the warehouse?”
“That was Calum. He didn’t really explain, but EP knows people at different stations, and he’s pretty used to helping with cleanup if it’s needed.”
“Do you think those people had families of their own?” he asks, and I can sense the sadness in it.
“I try not to think about it,” I admit. “I had to protect what was important to me; that’s all there is to it.”
Landon grins, a teasing twinkle in his eyes. “Important to you, eh, old man?”
I wrap an arm around his shoulders, relishing the way he feels against me. I’m pleased that the sling is gone, or I’d have to be more gentle with him. Gentle isn’t in my nature.
“You looking for an ass-whooping, babydoll?” I joke.
Landon just laughs, shoving at my side as I hold him tighter. “You couldn’t beat me up if you tried.”
I have him pressed to my chest, his heart beating against mine, a mere second later. “Didn’t I tell you to recognize those stronger than you?”
He’s panting now, eyes wide as he stares up at me with so much heat that my skin feels hot. He swallows thickly, squirming in my hold.
“Not fair,” he mutters. “I’m too horny for this.”
“Horny or annoying?” I counter, and he glares.
“Fuck you.”
“Come on,” I prompt, dragging him back toward the bike we rented. “Let’s go back to the hotel. There, I’ll fuckyou.”
