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He groaned and covered his face in his hands before he looked back at her. “Kamara. She swore she loved us and then she turned on us.”
“That’s not me. That’s not who I am.”
“I know. But the pain of losing her doesn’t distinguish between truths or facts. If losing her brought us to our knees, losing you would end our lives.”
She ached knowing there was someone before her, but people had pasts just like she did.
“Did you love her?”
“We did. In our own ways. But, and I mean this with my soul, not like we love you. You’re special to us and that is why you scare us so much.”
“You know I would never betray you right. I need you to know that. I went after Maya out of fear she had no one else in this world to care for her. I’d do the same for you, for Roman, Lucian, Matteo. Any of you. I might not have all the skills you have with knives and guns, but what I do have makes up for it.”
“The hell you will. You place yourself in danger for any of us and—”
“And what—”
His fingers were wrapped around her waist and before she knew what was happening, he had her against the enormous desk in the middle of the office, her hands pinned by her side, and her legs wrapped around his waist. This was fast becoming her favorite position.
His mouth descended on hers in a fiery force of passion mixed with so much emotion she could taste the sweetness of his fear. The fear he couldn’t voice.
She pulled back and he growled, taking the kiss deeper, raking his fingers through her hair, and pulling her into him.
Just as fiercely as he claimed her mouth, he tore away and pulled back enough to make eye contact. “You will never put yourself in harm’s way for me or the others.”
“I lost Maya, Sevastyan. She died because I couldn’t help her. And like it or not, you all are my world.”
“No, your friend died because she either followed blindly or got in over her head and didn’t know how to ask for help. What happened to Maya had nothing to do with you. She knew what she was doing from the start.”
“What if she was a pawn and didn’t have a way out?” Tears welled and she willed them away. “All those women in those containers. They didn’t choose what happened to them. They needed help and who was there for them? For Maya? We need to do better.”
He tucked her under his chin.
“We will. If I can’t promise anything else I can promise that. We will.”
“The past is a stern reminder, but it takes a stronger man, a more determined man to face the present. The future. Have you thought of that?”
His chest expanded with a deep sigh. “I thought I was the older, wiser one.”
“Age doesn’t guarantee wisdom.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that this world, my world, it’s too dark for a woman of your light.”
Personally, she didn’t think life gave a damn about a person’s nature—affable or bitter, light or dark. It dealt it, you either stepped up to the line or it dragged you under and made an example of you.
She took his outstretched hand and sank onto his lap as he wrapped his arms around her. She loved how her curves and dips found his. He groaned a deep appreciation when she wiggled her ass a little too much as she settled on his lap. She leaned her forehead against his.
“What’s the smile for?”
“Just thinking.”
“Uh-huh.” His brow raised her way in question.
“You’re all my dragon slayers.” She tapped the end of his nose with her own and pulled back to look at him. “Now all you guys need are white steeds and you’ll be set.”
He tapped a long finger on her thigh as if contemplating her words. “Something tells me maintenance would not appreciate the gesture.”
She shrugged.
