The Devil You Burn For.

for now, everything slows. I let myself sag into his embrace, let my muscles go slack, let myself be vulnerable for a few stolen seconds. I nuzzle against the soft material of his sh

he's one

he's a S

one just tri

eone tried

low, reverberating growl against my cheek,

marble touches the back of my thighs and makes me flinch, but I hold still, eyes s

rses under

still bl

n and presses it against my forehead. I wince. His jaw clenches hard enough that the m

rders, his tone givin

king, blinking up at him as he turns away. He moves with a sharp grace, all economy and efficiency, reaching

ng between my legs with a confidence that sends a ripple of heat through my stomach. I lo

sti

hi

me further. He dabs at the blood gently, methodically. One cotton ball. Then another. And another. He's so close I can

rom a bandage and places it ove

stepping back just sl

. "No. It's jus

"On your face," he say

ink you hurt it when you th

top. His stare is electric. My stomach t

my gut. He watches me do it. Then, to my surprise, he steps back, letting me ease down from the

ath hi

rigid, and I watch his throat bob as he swallows. His hands f

l?" he asks, vo

arch his features. "You,

wrist. A simple touch. Just his hand around mine. And still, the contact

e you doing

g you back t

s, I'm drained. Every part of me feels stretched thin, held together by duct tape and defiance

e, clustered together, voices low, faces grim. P

yes scanning my forehead. She nods

ound dismissive b

killer?" she asks,

" I

says at the

lance at

on anyway. Before I can reach for it, Seb snat

snap. "Th

nd nods at Aurora. "Than

le and pats my shoulder. "You take care. And if

just as Theresa rushes forward

ave me such a sca

y I crashed your dinner like this. I didn't know whe

b's voice cuts in from

going to yell. Not now.

it to you? And in case you haven't

toward Axel. "Ax

heresa over, concern etched on his face. Married l

?" Theresa asks again

d. "You don't need to stay. G

y, really,

e fine." I press a quick

Okay." She glances at Axel, then practically skips toward hi

me. "Pussy-whipp

xcuse me? What is

n love," I

utters, smug. "

t men have to act like it's sh

Because love is an illusion," he says simply. "A con we pu

t's... dark.

. "It's t

ttle breathless now. "If you did, you

re, but he s

el? They're not pretending. Th

replies. "Doesn't mea

g broken. I don't know what it is, or where it

you're just afraid to believe

tens. He doe

es... they

ovi

lin

mething that hits a li