Cignette senses it, and chuckles again – this time, in actual amusement. “It’s okay; I wouldn’t blame you if you’re experiencing a brain freeze after hearing all that.”
How the fuck is she so damn calm about all of this?
I shake my head. “I’m not one to be at a loss for words, but right now, I can’t think ofanythingto say,” I admit.
“Then don’t say anything,” she tells me simply. “You’re not obligated to, Dorran.”
I pause to give her a once over, and watch as her lashes brush the top of her cheeks when she glances away from my inspection.
“Is she here right now?” I question after a while.
Cignette brings her eyes to me again. “What?”
“Is she here right now?” I repeat. “And you already know not to bullshit me, so don’t even try.”
Cignette lets go of a sharp breath. “Yes,” she spits. “Yes, she is. But you can’t doshitto her, Dorran. You absolutely cannot.”
“And why’s that?” I ask. “She’s just as feasible as anyone else.”
“Is she?” Cignette’s gaze darkens. “With dozens of highly-trained guards at her command, does she really seem feasible to you?”
“I can take ‘em.”
“And risk your life in the process?”
“Yes,” I answer easily. “Fuckingyes.”
Cignette fists my vest and pulls me closer to her. “Why?” she whispers against my lips.
“Because I can’t see you like this,” I admit. “Because it fuckingmaimsme to see these bruises on you; to see you so tired of trying to be strong for yourself.” I grit my teeth and cup her face again. “I wanna bring your mother tenfold the amount of pain she’s caused you. I wannashowher what it’s like to be marred. What it’s like to be the one receiving what she’s been so cruel to deliver – for years on end.”
Cignette leans into my touch, and I erase the small space between us by pressing my lips to hers. She tastes like mint and tears, and it’s fuckingeverything.
I push my fingers into her slightly damp hair and kiss her harder, but she makes a noise and pulls back, then places her cold fingers over my mouth before saying, “Gently. It…hurts.” She points at the bruise on the left side of her face, and my chest contracts.
“Of course.” I attempt at kissing her softly. “I’m sorry,” I breathe, then part her lips before slowly running my tongue along hers.
She moans, then wraps her arms around my neck as she kisses me deeply, yet tenderly.
I’m not used to this. I always take what I want from a woman without being polite about it. But this – this very moment with Cignette – it’s so damnnewthat it’s hard not to get lost in it.
I drag my lips away from hers and bring them to the scar on her right cheek. I place a feather-light kiss there, then press sound, open-mouthed pecks on her chin and jaw.
I’ve only just reached her neck, though, when Cignette hisses and moves away again.
“What’s wrong?” I look at her, and when she pulls the collar of her hoodie to the side to show me the finger marks on her neck, my heart hammers to the point where it fuckinghurts.
I make to stand so that I can find the bitch and slit her throat, but Cignette grabs my arm and pulls me back down with surprising force.
“Fucking sit your ass down,” she sneers. “You really think you’ll survive the night if you march up to her floor and try to get to her?”
I snatch my arm away from her grasp and glare at her. “I don’t care.”
“ButIdo!” she yells, then pushes her hair back hastily. “I fuckingdo, you hear me?” She runs the sleeve of her hoodie under her nose and places her hands over mine. “Please, just…” She brings our joined hands up and kisses my knuckles, then looks pleadingly at me. “Stay with me for a while?”
I decide to relent – for now, of course – and give her a nod.
She smiles a little, and I pull her to me. Pressing my back against her headboard, I stretch my legs and help her sit between them.
