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The constant battle of resisting him was wearing her down, and she could feel herself inching closer to giving in. She’d walked such a road, met its happiness, and lost it all in one breath. It was a pain she couldn’t endure—ever again.
“I need to leave.” She created distance from him by scooting back against the cushion. “Staying here is not a smart option.”
There were other horrors to consider. For every second passed was a miracle Marina had not come for her yet.
Ronin retracted his hand but made no effort to return to his spot on the couch. “You’ll be safe in the city.”
“You do not know Marina.” Naia continued to dry her face with the heel of her hand, unable to hide the unsteadiness in her tone when she mentioned her sister. “She is not to be underestimated.”
“As am I.”
“Don’t be stupid,” she scolded. “She is of the night, and your city is shrouded by it.”
He smirked. “If you think I’m going to let you go off on your own, you’re insane.”
She held his intense gaze, refusing to back down from his silent challenge. Stubborn, idiot mortal.
Against her will, she could feel a gentle warmth blossoming inside her. Proof of an attachment she had developed for him. Perhaps he was as foolish as she was.
Naia inched her knee closer to deliberately touch him. Tingles scurried up and down her leg. “Take it as a compliment that I do not wish to expose the gods’ wrath onto you or the ones you care about.”
Ronin glanced down at their connected knees and then back up to her eyes. “Your sister doesn’t scare me.”
“The High God of Fire?”
He scoffed. “Your fiancé doesn’t scare me, either.”
She jutted out her chin, annoyed. “I am the eldest daughter of Mira, High Goddess of the Sea.”
He didn’t seem the least bit taken aback by this as his smirk deepened. “I know who you are, and I know what you’re trying to do. The thing is, none of the gods scare me.”
“Nor the idea of death, apparently,” Naia muttered.
“I told you that the night we met.”
“I have to do this. You do not know what is at stake. I thought Finnian could help me, but I…” She pushed out a breath as she searched for the right words. “My mother won’t give in until I am bound to Solaris.”
Ronin’s eyes sifted between hers for a long second, studying her intently. “Has anyone ever asked you what you want?”
She gave a cynical laugh. “No. Not once.”
He moved in, bringing his face dangerously close to hers, and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. “What do you want?”
A tremor rolled down her chest.
I want…
She rotated her head away from him. “Why do you care so much?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I care about you.”
She could feel the familiar graze of his eyes probing the side of her face.
Determined to hold on to her resolve, she pursed her lips, concealing the flush on her cheeks. “You hardly even know me.”
“I know you love sweets. Your favorite flower is a dahlia, and you were close with your father. You love Finnian deeply. You are sensitive and emotional and are the strongest person I’ve ever met. But you also have this look in your eyes, a desire of some kind. To go, to be, to do something, anything but what you’ve been doing. I saw a glimpse of it lighting up the night we went to the jazz club, or when you ordered three coffees in a row.”
To be.
