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“Thank you. I’ll be careful.”
He nods and opens the door. On the other side, Julian’s fist is raised to knock. He stops midair, taking in the scene. Confusion morphs into anger and I spring to my feet, knowing what this must look like to him.
No matter what we’re going through, I never want him to question where my heart lies. And I’d never want to drive a wedge between brothers. They need each other now more than ever.
“Julian, I—”
“What are you doing in Marina’s room?” he growls at Law, who merely rolls his eyes.
“Calm down Julian, you’ll pop a vein,” he says, patting his brother on the chest. “Good night, Marina. I’ll see you when you get back.”
With that, he saunters off, leaving me with a very pissed off king of vampires. Can this night get any worse?
“Do you want to tell me why the hell he was in your room?”
I sigh, not wanting to have this fight. Damn Law for leaving me to clean up this mess alone. “He was helping me with something.”
“Care to elaborate?”
“No, Julian. I’m exhausted and we have a long day tomorrow. I want to go to bed.”
He stalks toward me, face red with anger. “Not acceptable. He has no business being here with you behind closed doors.”
I bark in laughter at the irony that Julian of all people would lecture me on propriety. “Is Addy not staying with you alone at your house?” I point out, but he doesn’t so much as blink. “Let me get this straight. You’re allowed friends, but I’m not. Is that right?”
“It’s different. She’s—”
“It’s not, Julian. It’s the same damn thing. You just don’t like it when the tables are turned. Well, too damn bad.”
He steps into me, so close I can feel his breath on my skin. My chin lifts slightly so I’m looking into his eyes. I refuse to back down. He doesn’t get to intimidate me.
“Do I need to worry about you and my brother, Marina?” The words are spoken into my ear and a shiver races down my spine. “I’ll kill him.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
Julian’s hand comes to my hip, pulling me roughly into his chest. Our noses are touching and our lips are a hair’s breadth apart.
“I’d do worse if he touched you, Marina. You. Are. Mine.”
His lips slam against mine before I can so much as respond. It’s all wrong and completely unlike Julian. The possession. The anger. I can feel it all in the brutality of this kiss. It’s punishing, but for what? I push at his chest as hard as I can and he finally stumbles back, chest heaving and eyes hazy.
Blood trickles down my chin from a bite mark on my lip. His eyes slowly morph from black to red, and I gasp at the transformation. He tasted my blood.
What have I done? She’s bleeding. Fuck. I lost my mind. Law. Count.
Julian’s jumbled thoughts invade my mind, deafening. I grab the sides of my head as a migraine builds from the assault on my senses.
“Marina. I—”
He hugs me into his chest, and I go willingly because I’m too weak to fight. I’ve lost barely any blood. I shouldn’t have this reaction, right?
“I’m so sorry,” he murmurs into my ear. “I-I’m losing control.”
My head pounds, the pain intensifying. I barely register Julian undressing me and lowering me into my bed, covering my body with the down comforter. “I’m not going to leave you,” he vows, but I can’t respond. I’m in too much pain.
I vaguely recognize that Julian doesn’t leave my side all night. He nurses my headache and cares for me.
At some point my mind gives in to my body’s plea for rest and I close my eyes, shutting out the world and all the mounting issues between Julian and me.
