You can’t be serious?
I sighed. I was deadly serious. I wasn’t in love with Jethro. I didn’tthink I could ever fall in love with someone who I could never understand, but I couldn’t deny I was desperately in lust with him.
So much so, my mouth watered at the barest thought of having him inside me again. My core grew wet at the slightest memory of what we’d done. And my heart fluttered at the very idea of conquering him.
Kes cupped my cheek. “Nila...talk to me. You okay? He didn’t hurt you again, did he? I know the First Debt needed to be paid, so I can’t get angry about that payment, but anything else outside what is owed is completely uncalled for.” Temper made his golden eyes boil with fire. “Tell me—what did he do?”
He made me doubt everything.
He owned me the second he kissed me.
He made me grow claws, and I like it.
“Nothing.” I smiled, laughing away the uncomfortableness. It wasn’t right to have Kes care so genuinely about my welfare, not when I didn’t know if it was true or fake.
If it wasn’t real, he was a fabulous actor. My heart raced at the concern in his face, reacting to the compassion in his eyes. It’d been a long time since anyone looked at me with...pity. V and Tex used it more than any other expression, keeping me in my place of uncertain, fumbling daughter.
Now, it just made me angry. So damn angry.
“Hey...” Kes leaned forward, gathering me in a hug. “It’s okay. Whatever he’s done, we can fix it.”
I stiffened in his embrace. Rage bubbled in my blood.
I felt...played.
What is he doing?
The longer he held me, the more my anger boiled, morphing into recklessness. Words tingled my tongue—words I shouldn’t say out loud.
What’s your purpose?
What do you get if I fall for your tricks?
Then guilt smothered my lividity. What if I had it all wrong and Kite/Kes was the one true person in this slithering cesspool of lies?
Perhaps Kes was right, and I should fear Jethro more.
Maybe I was totally wrong about everything.
I slouched in his arms, giving in to the pounding headache and questions.
Once again, Kes had the uncanny ability to make me doubt. Jethrogave me power, but with one hug, Kes took it all away.
I transformed into Nila—dutiful daughter and fumbling twin sister, not the fierce fighter I was when Jethro called me out to fight.
Even fucking each other had been a fight.
A delicious, incredible, insidious fight.
Kes’s arms tensed as he pulled back, holding me firm. My eyes widened as he leaned forward, pressing his dry lips against mine.
Whoa—what?
I locked in place as Kes closed his eyes, licking the seam of my mouth with a questing tongue.
What should I do?
I couldn’t move.
