Page 40 of Snake Eyes & Bad Luck

But they did.

Because while she was fighting Pavlin, he killed the others. When she was bleeding out, he healed her without hesitation. Without asking for payment. She ran away from him, bolted right out that door in nothing but a shirt. He should have killed her. Had every opportunity. Then when she was miserably sick, he nursed her back to health.

He loves me too.

He has to love me too…

Please, love me too…

Avelina captured his lips, tears spilling down her cheeks. The hand was her back cupping her messy, half-dried mane and holding her in place. Please tell me you love me too. She nipped his lower lip desperately. His tail thrashed in the water as his thrusts grew erratic. Please admit that you care for me, and we can leave this place. Avelina’s heart sat at the precipice of her chest, ready to fall deep into her stomach or shatter into a hundred pieces. Her walls clamped down around the two cocks buried in her. Toes scraping against the bottom of the tub, relief rushed down her spine. Delight filled her belly. Her walls fluttered around him as he thrust into her, steadily losing steam.

They sat in that tub for a long time, tangled up in each other. She spent the whole time kissing him like he was air. Avelina drowned in her feelings. He kissed her back just as heavily. Their lips were bruised with how hard they smashed together, teeth clinking. Her tongue was knotted up with his. She’d swallowed more of his air than her own. Her lungs burned with him inside her and yet, she couldn’t release a single breath. Couldn’t be parted with any of him.

Only the water began to chill and she shivered. Every inch of her back broke out in gooseflesh. Callum broke the kiss with a chuckle, “Best get out before ya rob the vault with the sniffles tomorrow.”

Avelina wheezed hoarsely. The pressure to say something was a deep-seated dread that wouldn’t let her go. Her legs wobbled as she got up, then stepped out. His release dribbled down the inside of her leg. She left it as she stood in the center of the bathroom, dripping wet, and stared at him. Callum arched a brow as he slithered out of the tub.

“Got somethin’ to say, darlin?” he teased.

“Come with me,” she blurted out.

“What? Where?” he laughed, cocking his head.

“Come with me,” she exhaled dreamily, throwing her arms out to the side. Guess we’re doing this with tears. She couldn’t help them. They welled up in her eyes regardless of intentions. Her belly quivered as hot tears spilled down her cheeks. “To Eshorion. Let’s leave this place and leave all of this behind.”

His eyebrows furrowed. “What are ya goin’ on about?”

“Callum! Don’t play dumb!” she roared, stomping a foot. He slunk up close, looming over her. She didn’t shrink. Her eyes stayed firmly glued to his as the words bubbled up in her chest. “You care for me.”

“Yer seein’ things that aren’t there, little viper.” His face was hard. Eyebrows down, sharp, his slitted eyes carved by dagger tips and a scowl that would have made her run away scared weeks ago.

Avelina stood her ground. “There is something redeemable in you. I can see it. I can feel it. You’re miserable here! You hate this crew. I’m not even all that certain you like being Cottonmouth. You might be a cruel, rotten man, but I want you. I care for you. You’re the first person I’ve ever wanted like this, and it’s not the sex—it’s everything. So just don’t go to the vault tomorrow. Come with me instead. We can go somewhere—”

“No.” Her heart skipped a beat as he cut her off. It took a moment for her mouth to remember how to work.

“Why not?” She slapped her palms against his chest and tried to push back. He didn’t budge.

“Ya think I care about you?” he scoffed.

“I know you do,” she spat.

“Yer romanticizing me, Avelina. Yer seeing somethin’ that ain’t there. I just needed a warm cunt to fuck. This?” He grabbed her by the shoulder with one hand and made a motion between them with the other. “Ain’t nothin’ but bodies getting’ rid of frustrations. I made that pretty clear when we started, didn’t I?”

“You’re lying.” She choked on her own tongue. “You’re always lying.”

“I ain’t lied to ya, darlin. I. Don’t. Care. About. You.”

“You’re scared,” she exhaled, shaking her head as she stumbled back a step. He froze as more tears blurred her vision. No, no, he’s supposed to choose me. He’s supposed to admit it. This is NOT how this goes! “You’re a coward and a liar, Callum. I know you’re trying to throw me away, but I’m not scared. I lov—”

“Stop!” His roar struck her to her core. His hands clamped down around her damp cheeks and she trembled in his palms. His yellow eyes bore down into her. “Don’t you dare care for me. Don’t you dare. I am poison, you hear me. I’m rotten. I will fester and destroy you until you are nothing but decay. I will never care for you more than myself. I will betray you at the earliest convenience, don’t you dare forget that, Avelina. It’s time ya started lookin’ out for yerself and that starts with removing any ideas in that noggin’ of yers that I’ll ever change…or love you.”

“But—”

He threw her to the floor and snatched up a clean shirt he’d draped over the towel bar. Callum withdrew himself from the bathroom. “Get some sleep, warlock. Yer the star of the show tomorrow.”

Avelina sat on the floor, naked and shaken up, tears pouring down her face. He won’t choose me. She needed to escape. Now? Tomorrow. At the earliest chance. Callum might care for her. Deep in his gut, he may want to love her…but Avelina wouldn’t die here waiting for him to decide.

I want a happy ending…and if he won’t choose me?