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I spun. “How many times do I have to set you on fire, drop a building on you, or stab you before you leave me alone?”
“After what you just did?” He didn’t even look phased as he shrugged a single shoulder. “At this point, I’m starting to think the violence is foreplay for you.”
“We both know that’s not what I like.”
“It’s not?” He stepped closer, encompassing me in his warmth and scent. “Come home and teach me what you do like.”
Home. The word pulled at me, and I faltered. I felt my body slip as if I were taking a step forward, as if I considered it, as if he was my home. But no. I was doing it again, letting him get in, letting him distract me and make me feel. My leg shot out, and my foot connected, kicking him between the legs so fast that he didn’t have time to dodge. He groaned and fell to the floor, crumpling in on himself.
I glared at him, hating what he made me feel, and headed toward the exit.
“You can keep pretending that what we have done and been through meant nothing to you, but I know the truth. You have affected me on some deep level, Dianna, and I know you feel it too. I know it,” he called after me.
That’s what hurts the most, isn’t it? You fell in love with him while Kaden took your sister. I’ve been there. You guys might not have been fucking when he took her, but you weren’t there when she needed you. You weren’t there because you—
A lock on a door in a house rattled.
I saw red.
“You know nothing!” I hissed, flames dancing on my hands. I spun and stalked back toward him as he pushed to his feet.
“The flames on your hands tell me differently. There is passion between us.”
My heart lurched, and I hated it. Hated him. He was wrong. He was lying, and he was distracting me. I closed my eyes, willing the flames away. I shook my head before opening my eyes again to glare at him.
“Look, I get it. It’s natural. You haven’t been with a woman or anyone for a thousand years. It’s normal to get attached, but it’s not real. What we did or had; it wasn’t real.”
I have never seen Samkiel recoil as fast as he did. You would have thought I slapped him or said the most disrespectful thing I could.
“Do not try to simplify my feelings. Ever.”
“Oh, my gods. You’re over a thousand years old, and you stuck your hand down my pants one time. And what? Thought you saw god?”
His expression darkened as anger bit at his brows. “That wasn’t the only thing we did, and you know it.”
My core went liquid, and heat suffused my body. Memories and images of what we’d done in that damned cabin, how he tasted, how he’d touched me, and the sounds he’d made came flooding back. I struggled to contain my reactions, fighting to extinguish the emotions and hunger they roused.
“You know what I know? We are on opposite sides. We always have been. I would have killed Zekiel. Did you forget that? Did you forget that the only reason I even worked for you was because of my sister? Because you had something I needed, and I had something you needed. So, we made a trade.”
Lie! Hurt him! The beast screamed. Make him leave.
Pain flashed through his dark gray eyes. “Don’t do that. Don’t trivialize it.”
“Isn’t it? That’s it. That’s all it was. All it ever was, and you are as big a fool as me if you thought differently. You’ve had a thousand lovers, and you’ll have a thousand more. I’m not that special.” I spun from him, walking away.
Samkiel appeared in front of me. “Do you really think you mean that little to me?”
I groaned, frustrated at him, this conversation, and so damned much more. My hands fell to my hips as I tilted my gaze toward him. “You know what I think? I trusted another beautiful stranger to help keep my sister safe when I should have done it myself. I should have always relied on myself.”
“You said I taught you, but you taught me things too.” Samkiel’s gaze narrowed. “You can’t do everything alone, Dianna.”
“Oh, save the hero speech.” I rolled my eyes, attempting to turn away. He moved in a flash, invading my space and forcing me to lean my head back to look up at him. It drove me wild. Egotistical, arrogant god king who knew he could have anyone he wanted. He knew he could have me, and I would gladly allow it. I tried and failed to step around him as he blocked me in.
“You don’t think I know what this is? You let Kaden get into that beautiful head far too easily. Let his words twist what we both know is untrue. I would never hurt you or abandon you, Dianna. What happened to everything we said? What happened to your burdens becoming mine? I know you are in more pain than anyone should have to bear. Let me help shoulder some of this weight for you.”
He reached out to brush a strand of hair away from my face. A sliver of heat burned me to my core at the slightest touch of his finger against my face, and that thumping in my chest increased tenfold. In that moment, I forgot how much pain I was in, how much my world sucked. I forgot about her, forgot what they’d done to her. He offered me a place to lay it all down. He offered to help me carry this burden, and I hated him even more for it. I could bend my shape, transform into terrible beasts, and breathe fire. I had super strength, but I wasn’t strong when it came to him and my feelings. Not by a long shot. As much as I fought it, I knew he was right. A part of me behind a locked door of chains and steel ached for it, begging me to lay this at his feet and rest. But that part of me had to die.
“You know what you can help me with? Leaving. I don’t want you or need your help. I’m going to say this one last time so you get it through your thick skull. You mean nothing to me.” I growled low in my throat and braced myself to shove him away from me, but something exploded, and the boat rocked violently. Sirens screamed, and we fell hard against the neighboring wall. Samkiel’s eyes cut to mine as if questioning what I had done.
