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He still could have offered it after everything.
“It doesn’t matter why I did it.” He stepped closer until our toes touched. “But I’d do it again. I’d make the same choice. Every. Damn. Time.”
It took a moment to think through the red fog in my mind and form coherent words. “You hate me so much you’d put me through this torment time and again?”
A low snarl snaked between his teeth, and he jabbed his finger toward the bed. “Get in now, or I’ll tie you up in the corner. The choice is yours, Teague.”
“I rarely have a choice where you’re concerned, Maverick.” I marched to the bed and crawled between the covers on the right side.
Fane came around on the left and got in, his body heat instantly warming the cold sheets. His hand reached out and planted on my thigh. “If you sneak out and run away, I will hunt you down to the ends of all four realms.”
Anger bled through my system, and I shoved his grip off. “Don’t touch me, prick.”
His hand returned, his fingers digging into my flesh, bruising it. “I’m not taking any chances.”
I kicked the covers off and then rolled on top of him, my fist connecting with his jaw. “I hate you!”
Fane took the hit and let me land another one on his left cheek. “I know you do.”
“You cursed me with this bite, and I still let you in.” My fist pummeled his chest. “You saw my secrets, pain, sorrow, anger, and weakness. And then you betrayed me and gave me to Ruin like I was nothing.”
He’d done to me what so many others had. And it hurt so fucking much I could barely breathe.
Having finally had enough, Fane rolled us over, pressing me into the mattress and pinning my arms above my head. “Are you done?”
“Not by a longshot.”
“You knew I was a monster when you met me, Teague.” His lips brushed over mine as he spoke. “Did you really expect anything else from me?”
I didn’t. But because I showed him who I really was, the sting was so much more severe. It felt personal, like he saw what I was and wanted to be rid of me.
A hot tear leaked down my cheek, and my next breath broke on a sob. Fane drew back, his gaze falling on the new wave of tears. Shadows darkened his face as pain reflected in his eyes. He released my arms and reached up, using his thumb to brush away one of the tears.
“You can’t leave, Tate.” He wiped another one away. “You’re stuck with me.”
For now.
When he finally lifted some of his weight, I scooted out from under him and rolled onto my side, curling into a ball. I shuddered in an effort to shove the sobs back in. Fane got off the mattress, glancing over his shoulder to make sure I wasn’t going to escape, and grabbed the covers that had fallen. He dragged them back onto the bed and got in, gently pulling them around me.
A quiet sob slipped out, and I clamped my lids shut, trying to ignore the humiliation of crying over him caused.
“If I had to relive that night we fought for the Infernal Sol, I would save you again.” Fane moved behind me, and his hand softly splayed on my rib cage while his lips brushed my ear. “Not just because of what I got from Ruin, but because—”
His heart pounded into my back as he tried to find the courage to let the rest of his words fall. I held my breath, waiting for a verbal lashing that would rip me to shreds.
And then he finally spoke. “The world—myworld—is better with you in it.”
I bit my lip so hard that blood spilled over my tongue, but I couldn’t stop the tears from brimming over. Fane Maverick was such a complete prick, and then he had to say shit likethat.
Maybe I wasn’t just a means to an end for him.
His arm curled around me, and I melted into him. We hated each other and constantly fought, but when we let the anger, hurt, betrayal, and revenge go… I’d never felt more peaceful.
In the morning, we’d pretend it didn’t happen. We’d pick up those pieces of armor and begin our dance again.
* * *
I twisteda fraying thread from one of the pillows on Fane’s bed, pulling and unraveling the stitches even more. For shit’s sake, I destroyed livesandruined poor, defenseless pillows. I tossed the thing aside and turned on my back, staring at the ceiling.
