Page 120 of Silk and Sirens

His eyes darkened, but he didn’t comment.

“I started this because I was chasing Mira, and even now I can’t … I can’t seem to get past it. That I’ve put others I love at risk, and for what?” I swallowed past this lump in my throat. “Mira hasn’t been sighted in over a decade. I have the largest network of connections in the Underworld—people come to me to find someone—and I can’t find her.”

My voice broke on the last word and I went to turn away, but Caden cupped my jaw to keep me in place.

“You don’t get it. You were always part of the plan, Prince. I’ve been playing you this entire time, adapting myself depending on which side was likely to come out on top.”

His expression didn’t change. “You planned to kill me.”

“Yes,” I whispered, time seeming to skip a beat. “But then you became insufferable,” I added, almost angrily, because it was easier than anything else. “And you made me⁠—”

“Made you what?”

“Fall for you!”

Fuck’s sake. This couldn’t be true. I couldn’t be falling for a man that could never be mine.

“Say it again,” he said.

My chest tightened. “That I was planning to kill you?”

His eyes didn’t blink. “The other part.”

“You’re such an⁠—”

His fingers tightened on my jaw.

“Fine,” I growled. “Yes, Caden. I fell for you. Falling, or whatever this is.”

His smile, when it came, was deliciously slow. “Good, because I don’t care about your past. I don’t care what you’ve had to do to survive and the decisions you made to get here. None of it fucking matters.”

A surprisingly gentle kiss brushed my skin, a stark contrast to the possessiveness in his voice.

“No more secrets, Tempest,” he said against my lips. “From now on, we do this together.”

Chapter 49

Aeris

This is a ridiculous idea.

The puppy excitedly licked my face, scrambling in my hold as if trying to escape. What had I been thinking? To think this was a good idea?

It honestly didn’t matter, because it was far too late to back out now.

Another lick to my now wet nose confirmed it.

“Yeah, she’s been told it’s closed. She’s insistent.” The bouncer outside Thorns eyed me cautiously, unnecessarily thick arms flexing as he spoke into his phone. “Well, she doesn’t look dangerous.”

I smiled sweetly, the puppy giving a little cute yip as if on cue.

“Uh-huh, yes sir. Understood.” He pulled away from his phone. “You’ll have to wait here, ma’am. Mr Devereaux said he’s sending someone down to meet you.”

The puppy sneezed in my face, covering me in a fine mist. “Thanks,” I muttered, wiping my cheek with the back of my hand while the little monster wiggled happily.

Thankfully, we didn’t have to wait long. The entrance opened and Langdon stepped out, his tall frame cutting an imposing figure as he walked towards us. His eyes brightened for half a second at the sight of the puppy, then his expression darkened the moment they landed on me.

Great.