I wanted to scream like Sebastian had told me, just so he could save me from this conversation, but I remembered what Pia had said about letting Sawyer confess, so I refrained.
“Fine, I’m all ears. Say what you have to say so that we can leave this behind us.”
“You sure?” His eyebrow lifted, the moonlight glowing into his skin.
I wasn’t, but he needed this. So for the sake of our friendship, I nodded.
Sawyer filled his cheeks with air, blowing it out before his words circulated through the damp evening air. “First and foremost, what I said to you in the arena when you asked me to tell you something you didn't know—I never planned for those words toeverleave my lips. But you were gifted by the Goddess of the Mind for fuck’s sake, and I couldn’t fight it. And I know what I said may seem messed up to you, hell, itismessed up, but I meant every word of it.” He leaned closer to me, his jade-colored eyes frantically searching for mine. “I know Seb is the better guy, and for that reason alone, you made the right choice by being with him. But I would burn every bridge I've built with him if it meant that I could have you. Don’t get me wrong—if your friendship is all that is on the table for us, I accept it with open arms, but I would ruin every other relationship I have in my life to call you mine. Maybe that's pathetic or desperate, but the feelings I feel for you are absolutely devastating. They have turned me into someone I am not, and I can’t contain them, nor do I want to.”
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
There was more. Sawyer continued, his explanation crushing my soul more than I ever imagined it could.
“I’m not asking you to leave Seb. I know you are in love with him, and that's a good thing. He can give you more than I ever could. But you just need to know thatIam in love withyou. You probably already knew that, but I needed you to hear it from me.” He paused to draw a breath. “I meant what I said in the arena. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since we met. And it is destroying me.”
I blinked then held my eyes wide. “Sawyer, I—” Though I tried, no words found me. My brain was empty. Before I could so much as stutter a response, slow clapping filled my ears.
“Bravo,” Sebastian taunted from behind us. “That was quite the proclamation, Sawyer. Where did you get that? Surely you didn’t come up with that speech on your own.”
Uh oh.
I jumped to my feet, putting myself in front of Sebastian before he could do something rash—like fucking kill Sawyer.
“Seb, let’s go to our tent.” I pushed him back with my palms, but he stepped around me.
“I think I need to have a conversation with Sawyer first. Ithoughthe and I had talked everything out, but apparently we have more to discuss.” Sebastian's voice was almost unrecognizable as he stomped towards Sawyer, who found his own footing.
Seb,” I pleaded. “I’ll get Kohen to take watch, just come?—”
“Maeve, I love you so godsdamn much, butplease,” he growled, the threat didn’t scare me, but was getting pretty damn close to.
Sawyer marched for Sebastian, squaring his chest. “I’m feeling honest tonight, so sure, let’s talk.”
There was no way he wasn't scared. Their heights and physique were similar, but Sebastian had a lethal edge that I’d never seen on another mortal.
Sebastian’s fists clenched by his side, and at that moment, I knew things were going to get bad. I needed to distract them, so I dug through the corridors of my brain, coming up with one thing that I knew neither of these men could resist.
My power.
When emotions were as high as theirs were right now, mental shields were inevitably weak. I broke through them both with ease, and commanded the two of them to, “Sit down, and don’t get up unless your lives are in danger or until you have made peace with each other.”
“I always forget that she can do that,” Sawyer mumbled under his breath, dropping to the ground.
“You’reluckyshe can do that, " Sebastian grumbled back, copying Sawyer's motion and taking a seat by the fire.
Victims of my orders, they had no choice but to listen, so I went to bed.
Chapter
Forty-One
When I woke up the next morning, those two idiots were still sitting around the dying fire.
“Seriously?” I stomped over to them. “You hadall night,and you couldn’t talk it out?”
Sebastian released a groan as he cracked his neck. “There’s nothing to talk about. But as soon as you release us from your compulsion, I’m going to kick his ass.”
“Can’t wait to see you try,” Sawyer sneered.
