With a nod, she continued her story. “I was able to convince Cain to let him have dinner with us—he knew I was fond of Azrael. In return, I made him a deal… I had to play a part.” Her throat bobbed and I could see how uncomfortable she was. “I fed from Cain, and the second I had enough strength, I snapped that asshole’s neck and snatched Azrael before running. Finding that gate was by pure coincidence.”
I was absolutely captivated by her strength and courage. “You could have died,” I whispered to her, not to discredit what she had done, but to remind her of just how brave she had been.
“I was prepared to,” she answered with unwavering conviction.
Azrael ran across the field, stopping in front of Morrigan and showcasing the flowers he had picked; their stems were tied together with a string in asmall bouquet. When he noticed me sitting beside her, his excitement fizzled slightly as nerves seemed to creep along his eyes.
He feels different now,I noticed instantly. All of that dark power I immediately sensed when I first met him was… gone.
“The princess used to let me put these on the table,” he said quietly, turning his attention to me. “I was hoping I could?—”
“I’m sure Dez will like that.” I tried to sound less intimidating, but the awkward nod that he gave told me it didn’t quite work.
When he ran off, Morrigan sighed, leaning back and tilting her head to the sky as she basked in the sun’s warmth.Why isn’t she saying anything?The last time wetrulyspoke to each other, I was a complete bastard to her. And here she was, smiling with her eyes closed like she couldn’t have a care in the world. All the while, my heart threatened to completely burst out of my chest.
When several seconds of silence passed, I turned toward her and opened my mouth. “Morrigan?—”
“I planned to tell you, you know,” she immediately interrupted.
“Tell me what?”
“That night, when Cain took me from the village, I was going to come home and tell you I loved you. That I wanted to be with you—truly be with you. I also planned to tell you how I felt about Dez as well. I had hoped you would understand. That you would find a way to accept what I felt. Because the idea of losing you, well, that just wasn’t on the table for me.”
I had to physically slow my breathing, waiting for some kind of twist in her words where she would tell me how stupid I was. Where she would turn to me and yell in my face—remind me of the asshole that I was… The asshole Iam.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, and I almost reeled back in confusion. “I tried so hard to fight it, Kaiden. I didn’t know who he was to you at first. I didn’t know he was your…” She turned to me with glassy eyes that made the light in her irises shimmer. “When I found out, I thought you were going to hate me. I thought I would lose you forever, and I swear I almost made myself sick?—”
“Little dove.” I interrupted her, lightly plucking a curl dangling in front of her eyes and pushing it behind her ear. “I could never hate you. I can be angry, and I might say things that I don’t necessarily mean, but my love belongs to you, Morrigan. You can’t help what the stars had planned for you, and the rest of us will just need to figure out how to navigate through the part we share in your story.”
The look she gave me was so soft, I wanted to reach out and feel it for myself.
“I heard everything you said to me. All of your promises, Kaiden.” Her hand slid over mine and she looked down at it, pinching her brows together in a tight line. “I should have been more understanding, too. I shouldn’t have freaked out like that. I think I was just?—”
“Scared,” I answered for her. When she smiled, her eyes rose back up to mine.
I didn’t need tohearher thoughts to read them on her face. I loved that about her—how clearly she wore her emotions on the outside. Or maybe it was justmethat saw them every time.
“I should have told you,” I admitted, gripping her fingers tightly. “Morrigan, I… It’s going to take time, but I meant everything I said to you. I love you. I don’t ever want to see you crying again knowing that I was the reason for it. I want to be the man that youdeservefor me to be.”
She placed her other hand on my cheek, and she inched her face closer, brushing her nose against mine. “I want you. All of you, Kaiden.”
“You have me, little dove.” I brought my fingers to her chin, tilting her head until I could feel her breath on my lips.
“Till death?” she teased, smiling up at me.
“Not even he will stop me from loving you.”
Chapter 60
MORRIGAN
The next day finally arrived, and I received adeeplyanticipated visit.
I didn’t know why, but the nerves in my stomach were absolutely ravaging me. When the knock on my door came, I fixed my dress as if I had someone to impress. It might have just been a day or two for him, but for me… I hadn’t seen him for two months. Two months of not knowing what happened to him. Once my courage finally made its appearance, I opened the door, and, suddenly, none of it seemed to matter anymore. I stared up at him, and every sound in my head quieted. The bruises… His face was covered in them. The skin beneath his eyes was purple and yellow, and his lips had small, almost-healed, cuts all over them.
It took everything in me not to react.
“Morrigan,” he whispered.
