I’m slowly starting to realize what she meant…“Set me back.”
“Yeah, well… I don’t trust you.” She shifts her gaze downward, and takes a deep breath, her chest expanding. When she takes a step away, I reach out and grab her wrist.
Her eyes, slow but steady, trail up my arm to my gaze.
“Sometimes,” she starts, that deep set frown of hers pulling a frustrated growl from my throat. Ionlywant her smiling at me. This look, I’ve seen it so many times before. She wants to escape, to disappear, torun. “I wonder what you’re thinking.”
“Do you want me to tell you?”
“No,” she answers quickly. “But you should anyways. Let me hear exactly what I need to know.”
My grip tights on her wrist. “You’re fucking psychotic.”
I don’t focus on the sharp breath Sydni takes, only on my little demon. “And I don’t know what it makes me, but I love that part of you as equally as I do your heart—and that tasty cunt, and tail.”
When her eyes narrow, I pull her to me, my hand taking the back of her neck and squeezing it. “I’ve seen that look, Xera. You won’t run. Not from me. I’ll help you. All you need to do is ask, and I’d rip apart this world to bring someone to you to tear apart. Someone you can command to eat their cock, fuck themselves with their big toe—” her nose twitches, and I see the fight in her lip not to smile. “—I don’t give a shit what you have them do. Don’t go to anyone else because you’re right, they’ll only disappoint you. I won’t.”
She swallows as she pulls her arm from my grip, but doesn’t step away.
“I’ll take care of you.”
With an intake of air, I know I’ve calmed her. Her frantic heart that belongs to me begins to settle, and she gives me a gentle nod.
“Only you,” she murmurs.
I cradle her face in my hands, affirming with a nod. “Give me a couple days, and don’t be a moody little demon in the meantime… and” —I bring my voice down to below a whisper— “apologize to your best friend.”
She tries to drop her head but I keep her gaze upward. Even if she doesn’t nod or say anything, I have her back. She’s not falling anymore, and I’ve grounded her in place.
Chapter 34
Kairhyse
She was a moody little demon for the past seven days. While she didn’t speak to Sydni, she didn’t go out of her way to avoid her either. Still, I could feel the awkwardness—how they’d sit in the same space, sharing silence rather than words.
I understand why Xeraphine was upset by her princess’s reaction to nearly killing Brice. It only highlights the fundamental difference between them—Sydni wants to see everyone happy, while my girl knows that’s not the reality they live in.
And as much as I love my little butterfly, I will always take Xera’s side. That’s never in question. Thankfully, I know my little demon would never hurt her best friend, so I won’t have to deal with the aftermath of something neither of us would want.
I followed through on what I promised her, and now everything is aligning as it should.
Tonight, I’m taking Xeraphine away from the cabin—just the two of us. And the gift I have for her… it’s something I’m truthfully excited to give.
“Kairhysemother-fuckingMonroe.” His deep, thunderous voice roars over the motorcycle engine before it’s shut off.
I’d watched the black and red BMW sport bike roll through the long driveway toward the cabin, so I knew he was coming, but to see him after nearly seventy years feels surreal.
“Kaynmother-fuckingButcher.”
He sets his helmet on the seat and immediately strides toward me, hand outstretched, a wide, toothy grin revealing his fangs. Our hands clap together in a firm shake before he pulls me in for a quick hug—two solidpats on the back—then I step away, breaking the embrace.
“Good to see you, man.” He places a hand onto my arm, giving me a singular up down.
“As to you.”
His dark brown hair frames his tawny face, half up in a ponytail, the rest draping around his shoulders. Last I saw him, he had it nearly down to his ass, commenting about how he was going for the ‘samurai look’, or some shit like that. Tattoos peek up from the collar of his shirt, down his exposed arms, and I know there isn’t a single piece of his body that is free of them. All but his face. Helovesto comment about how pretty that is and how he would rather not cover it.
“You replaced the long hair with a full face of it, I see.” I pat his arm, and he throws his head back with mirth. The muscles in his neck flexing.
