“You’ll always come back,” I say with more confidence than I feel as he strokes his hands through my hair in long, soothing motions.
“You know,” I try, biting my bottom lip before going on, “I could be a sort of go-between if there are things you want to talk to Romulus about. I think if the two of you tried to communicate a little, then maybe we could all?—”
But Remus just lets out a great scoff and hugs me closer to him, almost too tight. “I just got much-needed privacy from that bastard by separating our memories. The last thing I want is to communicate with him.”
I huff out a disappointed breath, but Remus doesn’t seem to notice as he squeezes me tighter against his chest. “It’s just you and me here.”
I relax against him despite my frustration and try to fight my eyes fluttering closed at how good it feels in his arms—safe and wanted and home. I want to stay awake and hoard every single moment with him, memorize every detail.
But suddenly the weight of all the day’s events—the swimming, the emotional confusion, the mind-blowing sex—slams into me all at once. My eyes pop open, determined to stay awake, only to blink slower and slower, growing heavier with each breath.
They close several moments later as Remus keeps strumming his hands through my hair in that hypnotic rhythm, lulling me toward sleep despite my best efforts.
“Just you and me,” he murmurs again, his voice getting distant.
It’s the last thing I hear before I drift off into darkness.
NINETEEN
ROMULUS
I springawake and blink in shock at the feel of the warm, naked woman curled in my arms.
At least I have my pants on this time.
I should disentangle myself from her immediately. Extract myself from this bed and this situation before I do something I’ll regret. It’s wrong for me to stay here and steal this moment, enjoying the thick curves of her leg thrown over my hip, my hand wrapped possessively around her soft waist.
Reflexively, my hand squeezes a little—just testing, cataloging the sensation.
And she responds, nestling her face in further against my naked chest with a small, contented sound that makes my heart stutter.
For a moment, I can’t breathe.
And it strikes me with the force of a cavalry charge?—
Dear god, I never knew what it was to want before this moment.
Because I want her. Not just sexually, though yes, my cock is already stiffening with wakefulness, responding to her proximity. But it’s so much more than that. So much deeper and more terrifying.
I want to wake with her curled around me like this every morning. I want her to look at me with those laughing, teasing eyes of hers—looking at me, not through me to find my brother. I want to protect her and care for her so she is safe and cherished and never has a want or need that is not immediately met.
My chest lightens with this amazing discovery, this revelation of desire I’ve never allowed myself.
But then I’m struck with the deep blow of loss in the next breath.
Because the only reason she’s curled around me so intimately at this moment is because she was withhim.
Remus.
My eternal nemesis who’s finally gone too far. If I could carve him out of the back of my head with a blade, I would do it without hesitation. Consequences be damned.
He picked the one woman in the world who was perfect for me—intelligent, brave, warm, beautiful—but also had a big enough heart to care for him in spite of all his bullshit. In spite of everything he is.
She’s impossible, and yet here she is. Real and warm and breathing softly in my arms.
The question is, what the hell am I going to do about her now? What are his plans for her? Because he’s somehow managed to block his mind and memories from me—with Layden’s help, undoubtedly—so for once, I can’t see his schemes. Can’t predict his next move.
I’m playing chess, blindfolded, with a maniac.
