Phoebe pressed her lips together as she admired the sweetest ass and deadliest walk any man had ever had in the history of mankind. Really, no one could surpass Urian’s. Even Davyn agreed and he’d been married to the man’s twin brother.
That said a lot.
Though there were times when she wondered if she should be jealous that Davyn was so preoccupied by her husband’s hindquarters. Or even worried, given the way Davyn joked.
Thankfully, she knew her husband was loyal to a fault. Otherwise, she would be a little nervous given how much time they were forced to spend apart. It took a lot of trust to let a man that hot live away from her for the majority of their marriage. Likewise, it took a lot of trust for Urian to leave her alone, too. Because the loneliness was hard to bear.
Not wanting to think about that, Phoebe glanced around the humongous building she was in. It was larger and more elegant than most houses, and given the extreme wealth she’d known growing up, it took a lot to impress her.
This place did that in spades. All around her was an impressive collection of high-end, high-tech boats that even her dad would have drooled over. You could tell the Dark-Hunter who owned this place had been a Viking in his mortal life. He obviously was still drawn to the sea and all things nautical.
Earlier, she’d gone exploring through the second floor, which had four bedrooms, a kitchen, and living, dining, and game rooms. Which was weird that he’d have it set up that way given how huge his main house was … or had been before Stryker had bombed half of it into oblivion trying to kill her sister.
Urian hadn’t been kidding about his father. That man was insane. He truly wouldn’t stop at anything to kill them. The car bomb he’d used on her and her sister and mother should have told her that, but she barely remembered that night. It was as if her mind had been unable to handle it and so she’d blocked it out.
All she really recalled was Urian waving as they drove by, and then waking up in Elysia, with him telling her everything would be okay.
She didn’t know what she’d do without him. How she could cope.
But damn, his father was a special level of hell that made no sense whatsoever. How could Urian have come from that whackadoodle?
And speaking of that …
Urian appeared with not one but two bodies.
Phoebe gasped at the sight and the irritated look on his face. She knew they couldn’t be Daimons because they were actual bodies. “What happened?”
“Two of our men got in the way.”
“Those aren’t Daimons.”
“Worse … Apollites. But I couldn’t risk them telling my father about the boathouse.” He placed them on the floor, near the rear of the building. With a disgusted look he wiped at his nose. “Stay here. Let me make sure there’s not any more. Be right back.”
Phoebe covered her face, as she felt terrible for having caused this. Though Urian didn’t say anything, she knew the hell she was putting him through. All these centuries, he’d fought and risked his life for the Apollymians. Theywerehis family.
And she’d pitted him against them.
Pitted him against the father he adored. For her.
I suck as a human being.
She hated that it came to this. That she was forcing him to compromise everything he held dear to be with her and risk his life. It was so unfair.
Yet he never said a word.
She looked at the bodies and cringed. How could he not hate her? That was her worst fear. That one day he’d wake up and realize she wasn’t worththis.
In that moment, Phoebe was truly humbled by what she had. It was rare to find anyone in life who would be loyal to you. Brother. Sister. Parent. Friend. Even a spouse or child. Betrayal was a natural part of life.
To find someone who would actually kill to protect you? Who would risk and sacrifice their life every single day to keep you safe, without question, and without asking anything in return, and to never, ever throw it in your face? Not even on those days when she was bitchy for no reason …
She wasn’t worthy of a love so pure, and in her heart she knew that. As much as she loved him, she didn’t know if she could do what he did with the courage he showed.
Damn.
Suddenly, she heard whispering and the sound of feet shuffling in the darkness.
Terrified it might be her psycho father-in-law, she darted into a small closet to hide. Thus proving to herself just what a coward she was and why if anything ever happened to Urian, she’d be lost.
