Nothing and no one would stand in my way. I would never again make a promise like this – one that resulted in hurting the most important person in my life.
Chapter fourteen
Diablos
Ididn’t know exactly what happened, but something shifted between us in that forest. I could feel it in the space between us. It wasn’t something unpleasant. It was quite the opposite.
I was sure Dagon had had a panic attack in the forest, but I didn't know why. Something in him flipped after I asked him why he hated me. What could possibly trigger a panic attack in him? There had to be a trigger – and that trigger was my question. I think.
I was beyond confused.
Whykept circling in my head. There was something more here, and not knowing was eating me from the inside.
Seeing him like that was like a punch to the gut. Dagon was always this impenetrable wall of power, confidence, anddanger, but seeing him fight to hold himself together… my heart clenched at the memory.
Yes, he could be a cold asshole sometimes, okay, almost all the time, but the truth was, we never really got to know each other. No, that was a lie. Weusedto know each other till we didn’t. I wasn’t sure which was worse. I saw the real Dagon Hughes before I lost him. No matter how much we fought or ignored each other, the memories of the Dagon I once knew never faded.
And for some reason, thinking about that threw me straight into the past. It was two weeks after my 18th birthday when I realized with certainty that I didn’t see Dagon as a brother. Not like I saw the others.
I had gone downstairs to pour myself a glass of water. I sensed someone entering the kitchen behind me, and when I turned, my hand froze mid-pour.
Dagon had clearly just gotten out of the shower. His shirt clung to his still-wet body, outlining muscles that looked like they'd been carved by gods. Fuck. He was gorgeous. From where I stood, I could see every taut line of his body. And those hands... seriously, who even has hands like that?
Wait, wait! Why the fuck am I thinking my brother is gorgeous?
Dagon had this wildness about him. A part of him screamed that it could never be tamed. It drew me in like a black hole. Danger, my mind screamed as my heart hammered with the desire to get closer. His black hair and dark gray eyes captured me, and I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
And then he grinned. Dagon pointed at my hands, and I followed his gaze. I’d overflowed the glass, water spilling all over the counter. It was like a déjà vu, just like the first time we met.
“Are you watering the counter or something?” His voice was somehow warm and cold at the same time. How was that even possible?
And what the fuck was wrong with me?
I grabbed a washcloth and frantically tried to clean up the mess I had made. Dagon came over to help, still laughing as he told me about his latest history class. I tried to listen, but then I saw his smirk full of mischief, and light, and him.
And I knew.
I was screwed.
I had a crush on my freaking brother!
The present snapped back into focus as we pulled into the town where we’d be staying for the night.
“Do you want to find a hotel near the edge of town?” Dagon’s tone was normal. No agitation, no coldness. “Or, if you prefer, we can find something in the center.”
“No, I’m going to look for something on the outskirts.”
“Okay.”
He drove in silence while I searched. A few minutes passed before he asked, “You okay?”
“Yeah. Why do you ask?”
“You looked lost in thought.”
I couldn’t tell him the truth. It wasn’t wise to mention the past after my question made him spiral earlier, so I denied it. Plus, there was no way I’d say,Oh, I was lost in the good old memories of the night I realized I had a crush on my brother. All’s good.
“Nah, I’m just spacing out. It’s been a long day.”
