Page 32

“Lies.”

“It can be empowering, even.”

“Enough.”

I set my hand between his on the rail and look up at him through my lashes. My voice comes out whisper soft. “For the right person, there’s strength in being weak.”

Lynx’s breathing has deepened, coming in shallow, sharp bursts, and his eyes still refuse to leave my face. Like they’re locked on, and he knows if they slip, I’ll be proved right.

So I play dirty.

I set my hand on my chest and slowly let it drift down my torso until I reach the waistband of my briefs. Then I snap it against my skin. The sudden sound has him glancing down on reflex, and I know the instant I have him. The moment he tries to look away again and realizes that he can’t.

Lynx’s lips part with a puff of air, and the whole night warms as he drags his gaze over me. “You’re glowing.”

“Glowing?”

“What are you?” His words are so low I don’t think they’re meant for me. “I’ve never seen a fae like you before.”

It clicks what Lynx thinks is happening here. When he said mind magic, he meant actual mind magic. He thinks I’m putting some kind of spell on him? I cannot for the fucking life of me work out how someone so suspicious and paranoid about everything can also believe in fairy tales.

“Who fucked you up so badly?” I ask before I can stop myself.

The awe in his face fades away. “People.”

“I’m sorry.”

I think he’s going to leave it at that until he swallows roughly. “Me too.”

Those words shock me like nothing else he’s ever said. It’s the first time I think he’s ever let me in, and I want to thank him for it, but I know how quickly that will shut him down again.

“I need a knife,” I tell him.

“What?”

“You want me to protect myself, so I’ll need a weapon to do that. You could have just as easily been Antonio coming back.”

His hand automatically covers the handle of the machete at his side. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him without it, and when it’s in his hand, it’s like an extension of himself.

He pulls it from the holder. “Come here.”

I’m not sure where here is supposed to be, considering we’re already standing close, but I step forward again, arms by my sides, Jimmity hanging loose and skimming the ground. The machete gleams between us, only inches from my skin, and somehow, I’ve gone from terrified he wants to kill me to knowing without a doubt that he won’t in just a few weeks. When he lifts the knife, I don’t even flinch.

“Take it.”

I wordlessly do as I’m told. It’s heavier than I remember it being, but unless I’m faced with someone who has a gun, this knife will go a long way for protection. I can already tell I’m going to sleep better tonight. Again, the urge to thank him sits there, but I push it down again.

“There. I’m protected. Happy now?”

“Never.” He lets go of his grip on the knife and, with a scowl, climbs back off the porch.

The urge to tell him to wait, come back, stay is all there, but I watch him walk away instead, Bob right on his heels.

I stay staring after him long after he’s gone, and I hate how much I’m hoping he’ll come back. Seducing Antonio was fun, but it wasn’t a challenge. He didn’t fight the way he wanted me, and it was only too easy to wrap him around my finger.

Lynx though? He won’t make it easy.

But I will do anything to have him give me that same awed look again.