He cursed himself for hesitating. He should have come in, shot her, and left. No thinking. Just doing.
But he’d always preferred the raw, wild Rune to the one hiding behind a mask of style and poise. If he’d found the latter in this room—a beautiful girl powdering her perfect nose, not a hair out of place nor a crease in her dress—they probably wouldn’t be having this conversation. She’d already be dead.
Instead, he’d foundthisRune.
HisRune.
A total mess.
The basest part of him wanted to tilt her head back and kiss her until she told him why she was crying.
No.He gritted his teeth.That is the opposite of what I want.
But now that he’d thought it, Gideon couldn’tunthink it, and his mind pulled him down more dangerous paths. The last time he and Rune were pressed against each other, she’d been beneath him. In his bed. He’d been worshiping her with his mouth. Whispering delicious things into her skin. They’d given themselves to each other in an act that couldn’t be undone, and now he was suffering the consequences of that decision.
This girl.
He’d wanted so badly to be worthy of her. He’d dared to hope he could be, stupid fool that he was.
Never again will I fall for her tricks.
“Help me understand,” he whispered, listening to the receding footsteps, suddenly needing to know. “You’d put Cressida back in power despite knowing what she’s capable of? Do you long for terror and bloodshed?”
“For the people who want to hunt me down and slit my throat?” Rune furrowed her perfect brows. “What else should I want for them?”
He narrowed his eyes. “And when it’s all over, and your precious witches are safe, with your tyrant sitting once more on her dark throne, you’ll be married to a prince who treats you like a prize. Is that also what you want? To be put on display, like a trophy in a glass case?”
She seemed to hesitate, then tilted her chin in defiance. “Soren will make me happier thansomemen ever could.”
To think he’d kissed the mouth those words came out of.
“You might fool the rest of them, but you don’t fool me. Look at you, Rune. You’re drinking yourself sick to get through an evening with him.” It made him think of himself, not so long ago. And he didn’t like the reminder. “You’ll hate being Soren Nord’s wife.”
“You have no idea what I hate.”
“I have some idea.”
Her eyes crackled like lightning. “You don’t know me at all.”
“I may not knowRune Winters,” he whispered, his mouth an inch from hers. “But I know the Crimson Moth. And she is no caged thing.”
Rune flinched. “Stop it.”
“I pity the man who clips her wings.”
“Stop talking.”
“Say goodbye to your freedom, Rune.”
“Shut up!”
She bucked against him, and Gideon nearly lost his grip on her wrists. He’d forgotten how strong she was, despite being half his size. He withdrew his knee to regain control.
His second mistake.
Rune thrust her small knee straight into his groin.
Pain exploded like a bomb, lighting him up. The room went bright white. Gideon doubled over, collapsing to the floor as the unbearable pressure in his balls made the world fade away. He curled his knees to his chest to protect himself, in case she tried again.
