‘My duty is to protect people. To prove I can do that.’ His eyes dipped to her mouth. ‘But if you knew my thoughts lately, you wouldn’t call me noble.’
Nicole nearly couldn’t breathe with how much want was crammed inside her.
I care for you so much. Too much, maybe.
‘Gods, I couldn’t stop worrying about you,’ he rasped, using his knuckles to stroke her flushed cheek. ‘I was a menace.’
Nicole’s breath escaped her. ‘I can’t imagine that.’
His head tilted slightly, almost in warning, and the desire glittering in his eyes set a trail of shivers from her breasts down her arms and stomach.
‘Nicole, I haven’t been so short with people since I lost my family.’
Her delight morphed into worry, her hands meeting the heavy musculature of his neck and shoulders.
‘I threw myself into every mission so I was too exhausted to think about you.’
‘Kyan.’ She stroked his jaw with concern. ‘I’m worried,’ she whispered. ‘What will they do to you if—’
‘I don’t care what they do to me.’
She used her hips to buck and all her weight to flip them until she was straddling him. ‘Well I do!’ Her hands turned into fists, gripping his shirt. ‘Damn it, Kyan. I’m not just scared for me, I’m scared foryou.’
The tenderness of his surprise nearly broke her.
‘I’m stronger than you think,’ she said, making sure he knew what she meant: that she was like him. Immortal. Powerful, and able to protect herself. ‘I was just fine in Estwood.’
‘Just fine?’ His words sharpened, tinged with warning. ‘You fought off two creatures while I was incapacitated. I didn’t fucking like it, and it’s not happening again. Not when I’m there.’
That thing in her chest, that not-love-thing that had been beating in vigil over the last few months, felt like it was glowing beneath her skin.
But his words and the strife in his eyes had her softening. She smiled as if to say:That’s okay.
‘Well,’ she managed. ‘Are you at least going to admit that I beat you?’
A reluctant smile tugged at his mouth. ‘Oh? How’d you figure that?’
Nicole glanced down at them. ‘I think it’s pretty clear.’
Kyan pushed up on his elbows, then hands, coming face to face with her. He breathed deeply, as if savouring. ‘Nah,’ he said, eyes on her mouth. ‘I think I won.’
CHAPTER TWENTY
Dylan
‘WELL, IF IT ISN’T MY FAVOURITE PALMERSIBLING.’
Callum’s familiar, amused voice affected Dylan in ways he still wasn’t used to. Was it the tone, low and magnetic? Or the fact that he wasn’t supposed to find anyone as attractive as he did Callum?
Either were reasons not to trust him.
The Empyreal was lounging on a blood-red couch in one of the main living spaces when Dylan strolled in, an ankle resting on the opposite knee, reading something in another language. Callum lowered the book, exposing his eyes, his face.
And that clever mouth whose upper lip was slightly darker and more violet-brown than the lower. It pulled up on one side in an almost-smile.
‘Actually, I take it back. I prefer your adorable little sister.’
‘Most people do.’
