CHAPTER NINETEEN
Kyan
KYAN FOUND NICOLE IN THE GYM A FEW HOURSLATER.
It had taken everything in him not to follow her when she left the library, not to hold her and try to reassure her. Not to dream of gutting the Wake for making him say the words that caused the light to nearly flicker out of her eyes.
She had changed into some black workout clothes, and he forced himself not to rake his gaze over her form.
There was a frantic edge to the way she moved, as if she couldn’t get rid of the energy. She stilled, having sensed him, then continued to punch the dummy. He nearly left. He didn’t want to invade, not after the news and when they’d hardly spoken ten words to each other.
‘You can come in,’ she said quietly.
The space was cavernous, columned, and resembled a small cathedral. No painted ceiling adorned it, but the equipment inside was sleek and modern. In the middle of it, dark grey mats were laid out where she stood, legs spread in a good stance, the delicate muscles of her back flexing with each strike.
He approached slowly to stand on the other side of the dummy, before bringing his hands up to steady it.
She didn’t lift her eyes, and he took the time to drink her in.
Her flushed cheeks, the ebony fan of her lashes, the heart of her cheeks he craved to run a finger down, the longer ponytail that exposed her neck and flicked angrily as she moved.
But her quick, researcher’s eyes stayed glued to the dummy; hernew Empyrean speed lashing out of her with each hit. Both things she’d tried to hide from him in Estwood that he was now allowed to witness. It didn’t just mark her trust and the development of their relationship, but revealed how much she needed a release.
And he wanted to offer it more than he wanted to breathe.
‘Fight me.’
Her aim slipped, her fist striking the dummy’s stomach and skidding off, throwing her closer.
‘What?’ She wiped strands of her hair out of her face, suddenly flustered. ‘No. I don’t want to fight you, Kyan. I’m not angry with you.’
The knowledge made the snarled knot in his gut relax. Despite it,hewas angry. They both were. They’d been forced into this impossible situation and there was no clear way out of it.
‘Let me help you get the energy out,’ he said. He knew this feeling that shimmered off her like a heatwave – had dealt with it so often.
Nicole’s breath left her in a rush, bringing a wave of her scent, slick with sweat.
He gritted his teeth at the near shiver it set over his skin. ‘Please.’
Her attention darted up to him, her consideration causing his pulse to tick faster. Her gaze skidded away, like it used to in Estwood, like she wanted to hide something.
‘Okay. For a bit.’
Kyan stepped around the dummy. ‘Do you want to talk about it?’
She shook her head, fiddling with her boxing gloves. ‘Not yet. I can’t – I don’t—’
‘All right.’
Her lashes lifted, her eyes so dark and worried that they hooked his heart with a snare.
He picked up a pad for her to punch. ‘How are you feeling now you’ve had a few months to settle into your heightened senses?’
Nicole sighed deeply. ‘Like the world is breakable.’
His lips curved up slightly. ‘I take it you haven’t had much of a chance to test your new strength?’
‘Other than chasing down a Ban-Sìth, no.’
