Page 390 of Coal Hearts

Overflowing.

Drowning.

“Fine...tell me, then. How did you fight so well?” Victor asked.

“Would you believe me if I said I have no idea?”

“No idea?” Victor’s eyebrows rose. “You’re saying it was all instinct?”

Henri continued caressing me.

I wished he wouldn’t.

Wished I didn’t have to shift to hide what he did to me.

“I’m saying they made me irrational,” he said. “She makes me irrational.”

“Ah, yes.” Victor scowled. “You became...how did you put it? Murderous?” He dropped his navy stare to where Henri stroked me. “Tell me, have all your crushes created this sort of violence in you, or is it just lucky Ilyana?”

My nipples pebbled beneath the scant silver bikini a maid had delivered after Henri had called for clothes for me. Something suitable for swimming. Something that allowed him to see me but hid forbidden parts from others.

Not that I was complaining.

The stretchy Lycra was the most decency I’d had since arriving here.

“Just her, I’m afraid,” Henri muttered. “And as much as I wish I could undo her hold on me, I can’t. Besides, I did warn everyone not to touch her.” He threw a scowl at the guests having their breakfast, deliberately ignoring our table. “Least they’re aware now.”

My skin broke out in goosebumps as my heart quickened.

The longer Henri touched me, the harder it was to ignore the rapidly building fire between us. A fire that only seemed to grow stronger every time we were near.

Flames incinerated my insides the longer this awful silence between us stretched.

Say the word...

Admit what he might be...

You were warned by that astrologer. He said one day you’d find your—

Enough!

Just like I knew Peter wasn’t my soulmate, I refused to entertain the idea that Henri might be my...

I shut that thought down.

God...if only he’d kept fighting that night.

If only he’d grabbed me and run the opposite way—toward the drawbridge and onto the plane—like a true gallant knight should. Everyone knew the saviour saved the damsel, not carted her back to the tower to ravage her.

And wow, did he ravage me.

“I need information, Henri,” Victor clipped. “Tell me how you did it.”

“I have nothing to tell. I just...let myself go.” Henri shrugged, his fingers still sending pinwheels of heat through my blood. “I wasn’t thinking about anything apart from making them pay.”

“And you’ve never trained in Muay Thai or mixed marital arts?”

I looked between the two men.