Page 186

I line up her boots at the end of the sofa and stay on the floor. Our gazes lock, and all I see is her pale complexion and dark circles under her eyes.

“I brought you to his house while they were away. Graves knew and didn’t tell him. My father considered that deceit.”

Sera stares at me and swallows hard. “He killed him because of me?”

“No.” I shake my head. “Graves was close to me, and he wanted to make a point.”

Her mouth parts, but nothing comes out.

“Killing him was a warning.”

I wait where I am while she processes it. Her lower lip draws between her teeth as she shuffles to the edge of the sofa, lowers herself to the tiles and settles opposite me, knee to knee.

“So, you’ve lost someone too,” she whispers.

I nod once.

Her eyes drop toward my shirt. “And the gala…”

“I regret hurting you like that, Sera.”

She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes for a moment.

“My father had just put Graves in the ground and made it clear you’d be next if I gave him a reason.” The muscles across my shoulders tighten beneath my shirt. “That doesn’t excuse the way I treated you.”

“It’s okay… I understand… You were hurting.”

“That, and I didn’t want him to see how much power you have over me.”

Her breath stalls.

I lift a hand and close my fingers around the side of her neck, bringing my face closer to hers.

“Disrespecting you like that will never happen again.”

Her eyes search mine.

“Not in public. Not in private. No matter who’s watching.”

Sera leans forward until her forehead touches mine. Together we breathe in silence as her arms slide around my shoulders, and she folds herself against me.

I drag her onto my lap, letting her knees settle on either side of my hips, but there’s no heat in the position tonight.

Her cheek rests against my shoulder while I hold her tight against me.

Her hair smells of the winter wind mixed with the faint hint of her shampoo. Beneath it, is the scent I know from my sheets and from every encounter we’ve ever had. Right back to the night in the barn when my little wild thing became my obsession.

“So, what happens now?” she asks.

“I’ve already made my decision.”

She draws back far enough to see me. Her eyes have gone bright again, the glassy shine of exhaustion and alcohol sharpening the navy-blue circling her wide pupils.

“What decision?”

“I won’t lose you.”

Her arms tighten around my shoulders, and for a moment, she only stares.