Page 83 of A Cruel Kindness

I really didn’t want to let him go, but I was also very aware that we were surrounded by silence. I didn’t even want to think about the expressions the soldiers were sporting.

“Soren,” I said, not even really sure what I wanted to say.

He set me down, reading my mind. He didn’t let go, though. He just pulled back and moved his hands up to cup my face in his large palms. “Take care of what you need to. I’m handling this.”

I watched him walk away towards General Iroko’s sneering face, before I popped away to the small set of buildings reserved for a rest stop. When I looked at my face in the mirror in the bathroom, I realized how tired I looked. I didn’t think that was how I looked this morning.

If this was how I looked after three hours without Soren…

I shook my head, feeling the pressure of this whole arrangement weighing down on me.

I pushed out into the sun again, moving my hand up to shield my eyes right as I watched Soren lunge for General Iroko and draw his gun out of his side holster and point it right at his head.

The General’s unit snapped into submission, shouts and panic following as the Guard fumbled for their guns and tried to raise them at Soren.

I ran over, more concerned for Soren than anything else. If a young soldier got too jumpy and his finger drifted over the trigger…

Nope. Not happening. I made it to Soren’s side in seconds. When I approached, he simply held out his free hand, silently beckoning me towards him. His other hand, the one holding the gun, remained steady.

“Let’s try this again,” Soren said, leveling the pistol at the general’s forehead. “You will be letting Bellamy ride with me, correct?”

“Fuck you,” General Iroko spat at Soren. You could see the fear in his eyes despite his words. Soren was a little unhinged, though I found that to be one of his better qualities. I wasn’t sure Iroko’s life was safe even if he changed course.

Soren laughed, then calmly disengaged the safety on the gun. When he lifted it again towards General Iroko’s forehead, he had his finger on the trigger. “Try again.”

Half the people surrounding him were looking on in fear. The other half looked impressed. Meanwhile my heart was about to burst out of my chest. It felt like the beating organ was trying to fight its way past my ribs and sternum so that it could happily plop itself in his hands.

General Iroko’s gaze slid to me, the sneer on his face deepening.

“Looking at her like that is only making me more inclined to kill you,” Soren said, his voice entirely passive, like he was simply considering what he wanted to eat for lunch.

“General,” I said, realizing for the first time how shaky my voice sounded. That’s what you get, the Bond snapped unhappily. Three hours is too long. “While I’m sure your intentions in following Royal protocol are pure, we aren’t technically back in the capital yet. I think you can let base rules govern this situation.” I paused before adding. “Especially if you value your life.”

It seemed to hit him then, exactly how serious Soren was. The fact that I backed up Soren’s conviction said everything.

After another disdainful expression where the lines on General Iroko’s face formed deeper canyons, he grumbled, “Fine. Front of the convoy so I can keep an eye on your vehicle.”

The Bond jumped around like a happy little lunatic. I could almost hear it yelling yay in my head.

“Wonderful,” Soren said, a wide smile overtaking his face. He quickly reengaged the safety and handed the gun back to General Iroko as if nothing had happened. He turned to me, holding his hand out and beckoning for me to take it.

I complied, slipping my hand in his while a shamelessly giddy smile blooming on my own face. As Soren pulled me away towards the car I’d spent hours in wishing he was there, I turned to General Iroko and waved at him with a little waggle of my fingers.

He was a dick to me from the second we met, and I had no shame relishing in the fact that my Soul Mate had just handed him his ass in front of his men.

I caught a few people smothering laughs, which only made my pride glow brighter. I was happy as a clam as Soren pulled me toward the car and stopped to help me inside.

This time, entering that van felt like stepping into a warm, cozy den rather than being forced to sit in a cold cell for three hours. Half the soldiers were already inside, and each of their faces paled when they realized Soren was coming with me.

I had to smile at that, a secret grin at knowing that Soren scared the shit out of everyone, but had been arguably nothing but caring with me.

That thought was only proven right after I sat down and Soren took the seat next to me.

“Up,” he beckoned, motioning for me to put my right leg up on his lap. I listened, even though my brows were creased in confusion. It wasn’t until he gently peeled back my pant leg and inspected the bruise blooming on my shin that I remembered that I banged it against the metal step on my way up. I hadn’t even felt it amidst the other pain racking my body in the hours they’d kept us apart.

Soren’s thumb swept over the skin, already yellowing like a bruise a week old. How odd. I’d hit it very, very hard. Even though it was entirely nonsensical, I could have sworn that his touch made it appear lighter, made the skin feel warmer.

Seemingly satisfied that my leg wasn’t going to fall off, Soren rolled back down my pant leg and placed it gently on the ground. I wasn’t sure which one of us moved first, but the next moment his arm was wrapped around me, pulling me tight into his side, and mine was wrapped around his stomach, my head falling to his shoulder.