Her gaze slides from Duncan to me. Wide and dilated, her pupils eclipse the darkness of her irises. A light tremble rumbles through her limbs while the corner of her mouth curls up into a smile I’m not sure she was expecting.
“I can’t believe I did that.”
And at that moment, something unexpected happens. Because Lux comes into her self-realization, my job of protecting her has only intensified especially with how she will be in more situations that risk it.
I glide my hand over Lux’s cheek, threading it through her hair. “You did.”
A tear rolls down her face as she nods. “I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to do or say anything right now.”
“Can you and Hayden drop the girl off at the hospital and keep the guys positioned around the perimeter?” I ask Sebastian. My thumb caresses Lux’s cheek as she leans in. “Give us some time alone, then come back to clean up.”
Drunk on what feels like a regular person would labellove, I can’t find the courage to peel my eyes away from her.
My Lux is beautiful, strong, and incredibly brave, and I don’t know how I’ll be able to let her go after all of this is over.
Chapter 30
Lux
Once Sebastian and the team have left the room with the woman who remains passed out but breathing, I exhale with relief.
The exhilaration I feel about it all is nothing short of utterly unique and nothing like I’ve ever experienced. To be a part of something bigger than myself—this world with River is dangerously addicting, and I find myself entrapped by the thrill.
I stare at River while he faces me. His forehead knits and his expression is difficult to read. I’m not sure if he’s proud or upset by the change in direction the night went.
“How are you feeling?”
I struggle to find an accurate word to describe how I feel so I settle on the only words I can think of. “Good, I think.”
“You’re bleeding.” His fingers wrap around my wrist, lifting my hand to eye level.
My eyes glance down at blood dripping from a cut inside the black gloves. The injury looks deep, but oddly, I can’t feel any pain. “I didn’t even notice.”
“Let’s get you cleaned up,” he says, helping me stand.
I nod and follow him into the bathroom also covered in plastic wrap which brings out a chuckle from both of us. River’s soft but commanding hands grip my waist as he lifts me onto the counter. He nestles himself between my spread legs and pulls my hand up to his face. With agentle tug, he removes the black leather glove, exposing a slice in my palm from the corner of my wrist to between my thumb and index finger.
“I don’t think it’s deep enough to need stitches, but we can have our on-call doctor take a look at it when we get back to the manor.” He moves my hand under the water to rinse it off. “Hold it here, I need to grab some bandages from my bag.”
River twists to walk away, but my legs lock him in place.
“Don’t leave,” I say. The deep red blood drips from my palm and down my arm. I need a Band-Aid, but I also need something else more. Adrenaline is pulsing through my veins causing me to feel more alive than ever.
He meets my gaze. “Are you all right? Do you need something else?” he asks me in a low whisper. Then he brings my palm up to his lips and presses a long kiss on top of my wound, making my throat run dry.
“I killed a man with that hand. And I’m not sure how to feel about it,” I say, thinking he’s going to be repulsed.
“And you think that bothers me?”
My eyes remain locked on his as he kisses around the flicker of my pulse at the base of my wrist. “It doesn’t?”
“Not one bit.”
Carefully, I pull my hand away from his hold and cup the front of his pants. “I want you, River.”
River’s jaw flexes. “Now?”
