Cold fury built in my chest. “All of them?”
“Well, I can’t say for sure what Holland and Thorne wanted, but why would they risk it?”
Why would they?
Unless one or more disagreed with Lirian and decided the risk was worth it.
For their sake, they’d better hope that was the case.
Poppy’s gaze dipped and then quickly lifted. The green of her eyes was brighter. “Did you…did you talk to Kieran?”
“I did.” That was true. My gaze lowered to the shadowy juncture between her thighs, and damn if my mouth didn’t water. When had I last tasted her?
“How did that go?”
“Great,” I lied, grinning at her exasperated huff. “I really don’t want to talk about anything that leads back to my father or great-grandfather while nude.”
Her grin returned. “Whatdoyou want?”
“You really need to ask that?”
I expected to hear her laugh, but she fell silent as her gaze lowered. “Do you…?”
“Do I what?”
Her chin dipped, grazing the surface of the water. I briefly tasted something astringent, almost like unripe fruit. Uncertainty?
“Poppy?”
“It’s nothing,” she whispered, her gaze still lowered.
“Don’t,” I said. Her lashes lifted. “Don’t shut me out.”
“I’m not.”
“Prove it.” I reached for her, curling my fingers around her chin. “Because something is clearly on your mind.”
Poppy bit her lower lip, giving me a peek of a small but sharp fang. “It’s silly.”
“I don’t think so.”
“You don’t even know what it is, so how can you say it’s not?”
I swept my thumb across her chin. “How can you know what I will think when you won’t tell me what it is?”
Poppy’s eyes narrowed slightly, and it was hard not to laugh at her expression. She reminded me of a lallas—a wild cat found in the High Hills of Thronos. The feisty felines were only a little larger than my palm and had perpetually disgruntled expressions.
“Fine,” she muttered, exhaling roughly. Her eyes closed, and pink crept across her cheeks. “Do you really want me?”
My lips parted in disbelief. Struck silent, I stared at her. Godsdamn, that was a silly question. But before I could say that, her eyes opened. And what I saw in them—the fear and uncertainty—was like a punch to the chest. Her question wasn’t silly. She was serious. And I didn’t know if I was angry that she would even ask that or heartbroken.
I kept my voice level as I drew my thumb below her plump lip. “Why do you ask that?”
The pink in her cheeks deepened. “Because of everything with Sotoria.” Her breath came out in another ragged exhale as she rushed on. “I know you said before that you do, and that’s why it’s silly. So, I wish I hadn’t said anything, and you hadn’t brought logic into it. Then we wouldn’t be—”
Leaning over, I silenced her with my mouth. The kiss was hard. Brutal. Poppy stiffened, her lips parting on a sharp inhale. I took advantage, slipping my tongue inside to find hers. I kissed her with a force that answered her question, and by the time I lifted my head, we were both a little breathless.
“I don’t just want you,” I told her, splaying my fingers across her warm cheek. “I need you, Poppy. I will always need you.” Pulling back, I met her slightly unfocused stare. “None of that shit matters, Poppy. And that’s the damn truth. Understand?”
