“Not when it comes to you.”
“I don’t know what that means,” I confess. There is no way he could think I’m stronger than him.
Ziv turns his head to look down at me, not breaking his stride. “There are many things I am capable of—some great, others horrific—but there is nothing in this world or the next that could give me the strength to walk away from you, andevery second I’m near you, the desire to prove that and eliminate anyone who would challenge that only grows.”
I stop dead in my tracks, and Ziv mimics my movement as if he anticipated it. “I think I like you too,” I say like a damn fool.
“You think, little flower?” He tilts his head ever so slightly, and I would swear there’s a tiny curl to his lips.
I nod. “I more than think, but you’re…”
“Yours.” He nods his head once, as if to reaffirm his words.
“Bu—”
“There are no buts. It just is.”
I look around, making sure there’s no one to overhear us, then whisper, “That can’t be right. I’m not worthy of a mate. My father explained it all to me.”
Ziv’s head snaps up, and it’s only then I realize he was bent closer to hear me. When he bares his teeth and makes a snarling sound, I should be concerned, but I’m not. Long gone is the girl who worried he would hurt her intentionally. Ziv has shown me more kindness in the past few days than the accumulation of everyone else in the span of my lifetime.
With a move so fast, I can barely track it, he reaches forward to cup his hand around the back of my neck, then he steps into my space. “He lied to you, little flower, and I will make him eat his own tongue for it, but he lied. You are worthy.”
“That shouldn’t surprise me,” I murmur, but for some reason, it does. It’s like someone just plucked at a healing wound and ripped off the scab so it hurts more now than it ever did. I thought I stopped caring about what he did to me as long as he didn’t touch me, but this proves I was wrong. “If you ever do that tongue thing, I think I’d like to watch,” I tease to try to lighten the mood.
“I’ll do it a hundred times if you’d like.”
“You’re kind of sweet…in a bizarre way.”
“I doubt there is another soul on this planet who would agree with you.” Ziv still hasn’t released my neck, but I can’t say I really want him to either.
“I might be strange too, but I think I would very much enjoy you only ever being sweet to me.”
“Keep that in mind when I’m struggling not to kill the demon.” He brushes his lips over mine so briefly, I can’t even really call it a kiss, but it still feels like an intimate exchange as he releases my neck and steps back.
“The demon? Kage?” I’ll admit I’m a little discombobulated, so I’m slow on the uptake. I don’t think the fact that I may really be a fallen god’s mate has sunk in, because it doesn’t feel real. There has to be a catch. It seems too good to be true.
“Yes, but we can discuss him later,” he says dismissively as we begin walking again…or more like he walks, and I make an effort to keep up.
“Okay,” I agree easily, even though I really want to ask why Ziv wants to kill him and if I should be worried about the handsome blue demon. I drop my gaze to my feet. I shouldn’t be thinking another male is handsome, especially when I’m walking next to perfection personified who is promising he is my match.
Ziv yanks open the door to the mess and ushers me ahead of him with an expectant look at me. As we enter the room, heads turn in our direction. On instinct, I take a step to the left, easily concealing myself behind Ziv. It’s probably considered a sign of weakness, but anyone would be considered weak compared to him, so I don’t really care. He ruins my plan, though, when he turns around and hauls me over to stand directly in front of him. It doesn’t end there—he also lowers his head, placing his mouth by my ear, and says, “It’s time everyone here knows whom you belong to, little flower.”
I swallow the lump lodged in my throat and peek over my shoulder at Ziv. His hard scowl is trained straight ahead, as ifhe’s daring someone to say or do anything. “Are you sure you want all these people to know you may be tied to me?”
“I think it’s only fair they should know who would come for them if they chose to fuck with what’s mine, Briar, and make no mistake, there is no maybe about it. Now eat.”
The final command is delivered with a little bite in his words. It’s clear either my question or the people around us are irritating Ziv. I’m not sure which, but I snap into action, grabbing a tray and filling it with more food than I used to eat in three days. I find no matter how much I eat, however, the ache of hunger always returns too quickly.
“Aren’t you eating?” I realize when I’m halfway through the line that Ziv is still empty-handed.
“No.”
“Why not?” I start to worry I’m taking more than my fair share and slide the small bowl of stew back.
Ziv snatches it from my hand and adds it to my platter himself. “This food offers me little to no sustenance.”
“What do you eat then?” I make it to the end of the line, and he slips his arm around me to take my tray. His chest brushes against my back and arm, and I have to stop myself from leaning closer to him.
