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One of them stormed out of the cavern.
Something told me theirrepresentatives among the peoplewere about to get an earful.
Guilt clenched inside my stomach.
I knew I wasn’t a catch. I was the group’s bitch; the jaded, grumpy chick who sucked at pretty much every aspect of life.
They hated me because of my fire, but it didn’t feel like my element was to blame.
It felt like they just hatedme.
And honestly… I didn’t blame them.
I should’ve felt better about myself. I should’ve stood up for myself, or something.
But I just silently followed Quake into the sand. It gathered beneath my feet so my bare toes didn’t slide deep into the grains with every step, and I murmured my thanks to my thoughtful mate, even though I was a little pissed with him.
When we reached the far end of the cave and I looked over my shoulder, I found it empty.
There were fae in the hallway, though.
Glaring at us.
Atme.
My eyes stung.
I’d been trying to be better. I thought I’d been dealing with my emotions better. Handling my shit better. I hadn’t been bitchy to Odin since that first day. I—
His hands engulfed my face, and he lowered his forehead to mine. I heard a clunk sound as a stone slid into place somewhere. Probably in the doorway to the cavern, if I had to guess.
“You’re crying,” Odin said in a low, gravelly voice.
“I’m not.” I tried to blink back the stinging.
He swept a hand over my face, and it came up dry. “I still smell salt.”
“I think you should pick a different mate,” I said, my voice wobbling a bit. “I know you would rather have someone else. A fresh start. Maybe I can burn the bridge between us somehow, or—”
“No.” His voice was hard. “You’ve said that before; that you think if I could, I would go back and choose a different female. You’re wrong. I’ve never wanted that. Justyou.”
He continued, “You protect your heart because of what you’ve been through; you push people away because you fear that you’ll hurt them. But the only time you ever hurt me was when you let me think that I made you feel like I could be the same kind of man that attacked you on Earth.Thathurt, Velvet. Everything else? It just reminds me why I’m so damn lucky to have you.”
“That’s ridiculous,” I said, still trying to blink away those tears. It wasn’t working.
“You’ve met me. Do you know what it feels like when you argue with me? When you push me away, to see if I’ll come back?” He moved his face slightly, and said in my ear, “Foreplay, Velvet. It feels like foreplay. And how do you think I feel about foreplay?”
My face burned, and my tears finally dried up. “You’re lying to me,” I said, though I didn’t believe it.
“And you’re challenging me,” he said. “That’s a fucking turn-on.” Taking one of my hands, he lowered it to his pelvis. I bit my lip when he brushed it against his erection. “Now get over here and give me those vows so we can argue about how much I want you with our bodies instead of our lips.” He tugged me closer, using the sand to lift me up so my pelvis was level with his.
I huffed at him. “You’re a pain, you know.”
He flashed me a grin. “I know.” His lips brushed mine—the first actual, legitimatepeckof a kiss that we’d ever shared. I wasn’t sure I liked it. “Your hands go here.” He lifted them up to his neck, before setting his on my lower back. “The vows aren’t complex. Just repeat after me.”
“Are we really doing this?” I asked him quietly. “Are you sure you’re not going to regret it?”
“Positive.” He used his hands on my lower back to pull me even closer, more tightly to his chest. “Are you going to wish you had a different mate?”
