Azeira slowly walked toward me with hesitation written all over her face. Her eyes bounced around the foyer and froze on the bags near the door.
“What’s going on?” she whispered, stopping in front of me.
Chewing the inside of my cheek, I gazed down at her, unmoving. “You’re going home.”
Her eyes ballooned and her lips parted. “What?”
I nodded stiffly and shoved my hands into my suit pockets, resisting the urge to take her into my arms and tuck her away again.
“Your dad paid his debt. You’re free to go. Crusher’s gonna take you home.”
Just as I spoke, the door opened and Crusher stepped in to grab the last of her things to take to the truck.
“Kairus I—” She blinked slowly and her forehead creased. “When?”
“When what?” I replied, my voice void of emotion.
“When did he pay?”
I stayed quiet. She watched me as I watched her, knowing when the realization formed for her. “That’s why you locked me up, wasn’t it? You panicked and threw me in the basement so I wouldn’t leave?”
Refusing to confirm or deny, I pulled one of my hands out of my pocket and reached for her left hand. Lifting it, I looked at my last name on her ring finger. The rational part of me wasslowly starting to fade. Possession burst through me. Knowing my name branded her skin made the blood rush to my dick.
Brushing my fingers over the tattoo, I flicked my eyes up to her face when she inhaled sharply.
My nostrils flared.
Quickly I dropped her hand and grabbed her by the neck. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened. I pulled her into me and crashed my mouth into hers, taking it hungrily.
One last taste.
I wanted to make sure I was so entangled in Azeira that she felt me under her skin, wrapped in her soul, and pouring through her blood. My kiss became harder, savagely. Azeira moaned into my mouth. Her body submitted to my kiss.
My hold on her neck tightened as my tongue explored her mouth.
Suddenly, I yanked away from her. She panted, staring up at me in a daze full of lust.
I released her reluctantly. “Go.”
Everyone was right. Azeira was starting to change me. As much as I hated to admit it, Father was right when he said you had to run this business without feelings because they made you weak. As long as Azeira was around me, my feelings would keep creeping to the surface and I couldn’t have that.
Hurt flashed on her face.
“Kairus,” she said lowly, the singular word embedded in sadness.
My face hardened. “Go!” I bellowed, causing her to flinch.
Her eyes misted and she tucked her lips into her mouth. Her eyes shifted to the door. When she noticed I wasn’t gonna budge, her shoulders sank forward and she nodded.
My hands balled as I watched her walk to the door. Her movements were slow and she kept her head low. Once at the door, she reached for the handle but stopped.
“You know, all you had to do was tell me what was going on. You should have trusted me,” she started. Her voice shook as she spoke. “If you would have given me a choice, I would have chosen you.”
I didn’t respond, causing her to open the door and walk out, leaving nothing but a shell of me behind.
I turned and stormed up the steps. I already missed her presence and already wanted her back. Stepping inside her bedroom, I inhaled. She had been staying in my room before I locked her back up, but the room still had a faint scent of her inside. My eyes circled the room, pausing on the rose. It was wilted with the petals scattered around the vase she had it in. My jaw clenched and an empty feeling filled my chest.
It seemed as if it was near the end of its time, just like my time with Azeira.
