I had a short list of people after my head.
“They told him to have fun with you first. Promised him the pretty Maiden as a prize if he removed you from the running.”
Heat emanated from him, pouring into me.
“He loved prizes. But he got greedy and messed up. Then he came after you, trying to make it right. You avoided him somehow, until you walked right into his plan the last day.”
My brow furrowed, but I didn’t want him to leave, so I let him say whatever he had to say. Whatever horrible things he had to release, I wanted to hear them all.
“He would’ve brought you there when he was done with you. As long as you’re still alive, that’s what they care about.” His voice ran cold. “As long as they can still use you. It doesn’t matter what anyone else does first.”
A tremor of fear raced down my spine.
“No, that’s not true. Not for her.” He dropped his voice, so low I barely heard him when he added, “Not with me.”
The need for answers, the desperation to understand what he meant, nearly broke me. But I wanted him to stay.
He wanted me to listen.
And I needed him more than the truth.
Clenching his fist beside my head, he hit the mattress. “Do you have any idea how stupid this was? Coming back here after that? Do you have any idea what they’ll do now?”
I didn’t care. Whatever they wanted to do, whatever they tried, I refused to run.
“She wants to tear your eyes out. Ruin every part of you that touched me.” He pressed his weight down harder. “We’d both pay for this. Do you have any idea—Go on, say something now. All you care about is getting answers, right?”
“No.”
“She’ll destroy you. You think it’s a game? Think she won’t?”
I lifted my chin. “I don’t care.”
“You don’t care?” He scoffed a harsh laugh. “You’re reckless, completely reckless, foolish?—”
“I got away from him, Max! I survived. And I’mfine.” I growled, stubbornly fighting against him. As reckless, and as foolish, as he claimed. “Their planfailed. And guess what?Hedied for the trouble.”
“Jesus. You think you know the game you’re playing? Do you have any idea how lucky that was? I mean it, Quinn.” He shook me. “Shewon’t fail.”
“I don’t care what she?—”
“But I do!” His shout echoed in the quiet room. He balked and dropped his voice. “Dammit, will you just listen to me?”
Anger bled into his words. Concern warred with his frustration. All of it fueled by one feeling.
“They’re going tokill you,Princess!”
My breath caught, and my heart pounded like a war drum in my chest. His eyes jumped wildly between mine as he scanned my face for any sign his words had reached me.
“Don’t you get that?Ifucking care!”
Fear coursed through his body, pulsing into me as he shook. Vibrating through his palm, palpable and strong, it poured into my hand as I released his wrist.
When I wrapped my arms around him, he tried to shake out of my hold, but I refused to let go.
Squeezing as tightly as I could, I clutched his body to mine, rubbed my hands up and down his sides, and waited until his body settled.
My nickname on his lips prompted one question.
