Sighing, I couldn’t help but remember my life growing up, or André’s story, even Dante’s. “I’m not trying to be a bitch but any of us would have killed for a sliver of what you had growing up, and I don’t mean the money.”
A pensive, almost sad look entered Hannes’s eyes.
“I know. I don’t deny that I’ve been very lucky.”
Stepping closer, he let his beast go, and his hand reached for my jaw, gently caressing my neck.
“But you’d be surprised how many places I’ve found my way into that I was never meant to be in… I have more than many, yet I’ve also felt the hollowness of that which I would never know simply because of who I am.”
My heart constricted with the sudden weight his words carried, filled with true need, sorrow, and somehow even relief.
I wasn’t sure what caused it, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was talking about me.
“Stupid, Bitch.”
“Starlight…”he warned, his gaze still on mine.
She didn’t answer.
Hannes’s hand fell from my neck, and I instantly felt the emptiness the absence of his touch left in me.
When his smile returned, he crossed his arms over that broad chest that felt so good against my body and lifted a thick brow. “Now, are you going to kick my privileged white man’s ass or what? You promised me pain, and I don’t see anything.”
He was daring me now.
Giving him a look that promised hurt, I took several steps back, adrenaline coursing through my being. “I promise not to be too hard on you.”
His grin became seriously swooning with my words. “I’ll return the favor and close my eyes for you.”
Oh hell no.
“He didn’t…”
Running forward, I jumped and spun in the air, sending a deathly kick towards his face.
“Nooo!”Star bellowed but his body arched all the way back, easily avoiding my flying boot that swept dead air over his head.
The asshole’s eyes were still closed.
I sent a swift punch left, but he swerved right, avoiding it. My next attack came from the right, and his arm naturally swung, pushing it away so my fist flew clear off him. It was like he knew exactly what I would do.
With the glorious purpose of kicking his ass, I advanced on him, trying to force him backward with each attack, but Hannes didn’t even miss a beat. Every blow I sent was effortlessly stopped or avoided. Even when I used my famous punch, jump, scissor kick combination, he astonishingly spun out of the way, successfully eluding it.
“Famous, really?”
“Shut it.”
What the fuck was going on? No one could be this good.
Additionally, I was excellent at sparring; Isis had trained me.
When he dropped to his knees and whirled out of the way of my latest attack, I kind of cried. A tear definitely reached my eye.
It pained me to admit it, but I was almost mesmerized by the way Hannes’s body moved with each maneuver. So effortlessly, so naturally attuned with every little change around him that may signal my approach. It was like he was part of this place, of nature, their connection strong and fluid like the river.
At this point, I was half convicted the air was fucking talking to him.
He hadn’t even dropped his arms from his chest.
