“You know I’ve always had a thing for redheads,” Halsten laughed. “But seriously. I know how we used to be. But we’ve got these two amazing, fierce women in our lives now and I have no interest in that anymore.”
Kaid sighed. He had been so wrapped up with Asta that he never even saw the relationship blooming between Halsten and Linnea. What was confusing to Kaid was how easily Halsten fell into step with Linnea, how quickly he put his past behind him. “How do you know you’re not going to fuck it up? We’ve never done this before.”
“I’m not saying I’ll never do something wrong, but I’m devoted to her. If I wrong her, it will be bringing her the wrong tea in the morning, or wearing a color that clashes with her dressto a party. It won’t be anything involving another woman.Ever.It’s okay to let go and enjoy the free fall. I have been.”
That was exactly what Kaid wanted, too. To free fall with Asta. But they each had a habit of protecting themselves above all else, even if it led to their demise. “I’m not entirely sure how to do that. Every time I feel like we’re making progress, something sets us back and we’re arguing again.”
Halsten started laughing and Kaid couldn’t for the life of him figure out what he had said that was so funny.
His best friend took a deep breath to stop himself from cackling. “Do you not remember how you two met? You’ve always been good at challenging one another. You’re just challenging each other on the wrong things right now. Show her how serious you are and make her step up. You know she’ll want to one-up you simply to prove to you that she can love you more. Eventually, it will even out. That’s how you two function.”
This was why Halsten was Kaid’s best friend. Above all else, he knew how Kaid’s brain worked—even when Kaid couldn’t quite figure it out himself. He was right. If he wanted to free fall with Asta, he had to grab her arm on the way down and race her to the bottom.
Kaid left Halsten’s suite with a spring in his step, feeling lighter than he had in weeks. He and Asta didn’t have some deeply rooted problem, destined to never work out. They needed to give in to what they both felt and call each other to rise to the occasion.
He marched to Asta’s suite, letting himself in and sitting on the couch next to her. Dyri curled up at his feet while he and Asta watched the calming crackle of the fireplace in front of them. Shewas wearing a dark blue, silk night dress that left nothing to the imagination, and it drove Kaid mad.
He didn’t avert his gaze from the flames as he spoke, scared that looking into Asta’s intense stare would cause him to stutter. “I’ve meant everything I’ve said to you, you know.” Asta did not respond, so Kaid continued. “I need you. I need you to point out my flaws and guide me when I feel lost. I need you to knock me down a peg sometimes.”
“I do enjoy doing that,” Asta mumbled playfully.
Kaid faced her and grabbed her hand. “Let’s wear matching outfits and break protection spells together, forever.”
Asta laughed, rolling her eyes. “Let’s actually do neither of those things again. I can’t believe I had to be the one to introduce myself to your mother. You didn’t even have the sense to do it yourself.”
Kaid was the one laughing now. Asta had actually met his own mother before he even had. Well, aside from when he was born.
He gripped Asta’s waist and pulled her onto him, her legs straddling his lap and her night dress riding up her thighs. One of Kaid’s hands gently caressed her thigh while the other wrapped around her back, pulling her face down to his.
“Do you still hate me, my love?” Kaid asked, his lips inches from Asta’s.
“Until the end of time.” Her lips crashed into his with a world-shattering kiss.
He knew what she meant. Until the end of time, she would hate that she fell for the man she was never supposed to love. But she would love him with everything she had.
Kaid reached up and wrapped his hand in her vicious curls, yanking her head back until she let out a moan.
Taste her. Taste her blood. Let her essence infiltrate your very being.
Kaid’s siren hissed at him, forcefully urging him to feed. He pushed the feeling away, knowing that sirens did not typically feed from each other. He wasn’t sure what it meant.
He kissed down the side of her neck, sucking on the sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulder, eliciting a whispered string of curses from her lips. He ran his other hand around the back of her thigh, slipping his fingers under her silk garment to grip her full ass. He pulled her forward, pressing her against his lap and she gasped.
“Keep making that sound, Princess, and this night dress won’t be in one piece much longer.”
Asta moved against him. “That’s the plan,Prince.”
Kaid grazed his thumbs over her chest through the silky fabric.
“I love you,” he admitted.
“I love you, too,” she whispered back.
Kaid stilled, not expecting her to so readily say it back, but ecstatic that neither of them were afraid to admit it any longer.
Bite. Bite. Lick her blood from her body like the starving beast you are.
Kaid’s eyes closed, fighting off his siren.
