Page 54 of Anywhere

It felt like time stood still as I came.

“Mari, fuck,” I groaned as I finally gave in.

With each thrust, I came again until her legs slipped off my shoulders, and I collapsed on top of her.

Silent tears streamed from her eyes as I kissed her lips softly.

“I love you so much,” she mumbled against my lips. “Thank you for this. Thank you for this gift.”

Even though the words were on my tongue to reply, I couldn’t let myself say them anymore. Smoothing back her damp hair, I kissed the tip of her nose.

“I feel selfish takin’ dis moment wit ya.”

Mari lifted her hand and placed it on my cheek. “I know you do, but don’t. I wanted this with you. I wanted to know and feel something real.”

“Aye, I know, and I swear ta ya dat I’ll get da rules changed.” I kissed her tenderly and then rolled us over so I could spoon her. “Ya need ta promise me somethin’, Mari.”

“It’s okay, I know. I’ll never try something like what I did tonight again. If I need anythin’ from now on, I’ll let you know, and we can figure it out.”

I pulled her tighter into me. “Ya better. No more slinkin’ off into da dark. There be too much unrest and dark tings afoot ta be doin’ dat.”

“I know,” she said and sighed.

“Rest up. I plan on makin’ use of da time we ‘ave left.”

Rook

I slammed my fist off the rock wall in my bedroom as the pain gripped my chest again. It had been a dull ache that I managed to push aside until now. I wondered if Rhys was as tough as he seemed while I ate dinner and washed it down with a beer. I watched the stars and enjoyed the quiet night then real agony started.

The pain hit so hard that it felt like someone had taken a sledgehammer to my chest. I almost fell off my chair. I knew that whatever was going on in that bedroom had been stepped up to the next level. My fist found the wall again as another scream ripped from my mouth. I was caught between a burn-the-world-down-around-me rage and the most excruciating pain imaginable. If I hadn’t been able to see my chest, I would’ve sworn that my heart was being torn out.

Rhys had gone through this pain. I put him through this when I rejected the pairing and blocked the connection as soon as I felt the link. I suddenly hated myself so much for not taking the time to learn the power of the magic within the Faction and, more importantly, the repercussions of my actions. How was Rhys able to look at me, let alone forgive me? I remembered clearly. Each night was filled with two or more partners and multiple rounds, like one long party. The fact that he was still sane was astonishing.

I leaned against the wall and let my feet slide until my ass found the floor. There was so much clarity. I understood why Rhys didn’t greet me when I arrived, why he was so reluctant to be in the same room as me. He looked at me like I burned him when we touched, and he asked Mari to leave with him. I saw it all like a fucking lightbulb flicked on.

“Fuck!” I yelled as it gripped me again, and I tensed against the sensation. It eased once more, and it felt like the pain was letting go of my soul. I gasped and took a deep breath. My muscles shook, and sweat trickled down my forehead into my eye. Insult to injury was what that was.

I wiped the sweat away from my eye before running my hands through my hair. I laid my head back against the cool stone and tried to prepare for the next wave that was sure to come. If roles had been reversed, I would’ve gutted him on sight. Embarrassing me would’ve been bad enough, torturing the fuck out of me…I’m coming for your head. But, then steal my room and touch my things, I would’ve shackled him up and made sure his end was painful. I would’ve found every torture device available and used it on him until he was screaming and begging me to kill him. So really, I was getting off easy.

“Ahh,” the scream was pulled from me, and I collapsed to my side, holding a hand over my chest to make sure the skin wasn’t really beginning to tear apart. Tears were not my thing, and I couldn’t even remember the last time I cried, but they ran freely down my cheeks now.

How had all the men in the family who’d lost one of their triad survived this pain? My respect notched up slightly for my father. Whether it was by death or choice, the pain of the connection being interrupted or severed was the same. Again, these were things I knew but had never taken as more than dramatic build-up in the books I was forced to read. I snubbed my father, I snubbed the Faction, and I hurt Rhys in the process.

A knock came on my closed door.

“Go away,” I yelled, then bit back another scream as the excruciating sensation throbbed brightly.

“But, Master, yer screamin’,” Liam said.

“I know I am,” I panted out. “Go away.”

The door rattled like he was trying to get in, but the spell I’d put into place held. I knew that Liam would try to distract me if I asked. The idea had merit as the anger replaced the pain, but the guilt was sitting right there, staring at me. I did this to prove my loyalty to us going forward. It would diminish or wipe out all the goodwill this sacrifice had built if I let Liam do anything to me.

“Liam, I said go the fuck away! Please, just leave me alone!”

“But, Master, I need ta make sure yer no bein’ attacked.”

I sprawled out on the cold rock floor, sweat dripping from every part of my body as the next round began to build again. There was never enough time to fully relax before being hit by the invisible force that stopped my heart and made breathing impossible.