“I didn’t have my crutches—”
“But you have me.” He picked me up and carried me to the couch in the living room, so we could sit together. He held me across his lap so my legs could rest on the cushions, one arm supporting my back while the other rested on my thighs. He looked at me with his pretty eyes, his expression the same, like Damien hadn’t told him anything he wanted to hear. He looked concerned, like he worried how our conversation had affected me. “Are you okay?”
My arms circled his neck, and I held him close, rubbing my nose against his. “I’m fine.”
His eyes moved down to my lips, and he gave me a gentle kiss, his mouth parting my lips so he could taste me.
“He asked me about what happened…but didn’t ask for details.”
His expression didn’t change.
“Then I asked him to try, and he said he would.”
His eyes narrowed in surprise, like that hadn’t been addressed in their conversation. “Really?”
I nodded. “So, I’m happy…”
His hand cupped the back of my neck, and his fingers gently rubbed into me. “I don’t know how you managed to pull that off.”
“I think it’s fair, considering what you did.”
His eyes softened. “You don’t owe me anything.”
“I do—but I already paid you back. He, on the other hand, does. He owes you the chance.”
He shook his head slightly. “I disagree, but I’m not going to pass up the opportunity to move forward.”
“Me neither.”
“So, now what?”
I shrugged. “I guess we’ll see how it goes…”
“And your father?”
“I don’t know. Haven’t thought about it much.”
“Well, I’m ready to meet him whenever you think the time is right.”
I thought it was sweet that he was brave enough to face him, to tell him what he’d intended to do to him months ago, and still hope he could look past it…because he loved me so much.
“Did you tell him…about our engagement?”
I shook my head. “Did you?”
“No,” he answered. “I thought it should come from you.”
“I think we should wait…”
He didn’t argue.
“It’s not that I don’t—”
“It’s okay.” He kissed the corner of my mouth. “We’ll get there when we get there.”
My hand cupped his cheek, and I kissed him, my thumb feeling the coarse hair along his jawline. In just a few more weeks, I would be able to have him how I wanted, make love to him whenever I felt like it.
He kissed me back, kissing me like my damaged ankle hadn’t changed the way he felt about me at all. He wanted me just the same, no matter how broken I was, even if my family hated him.
When I pulled away, I rested my forehead against his. “He mentioned that guy who conspired against you…”
His body stiffened, no longer affectionate. “I’ll take care of it.”
“It’s not going to be a problem—”
“No. I’ll kill him.” He pulled away, looking me in the eye with seriousness. “Don’t worry about that, alright? That’s my problem—not yours.”
“Well, you are my problem, Heath.”
He rubbed his nose against mine. “My stubbornness is your problem. But all that other stuff is not.”FifteenHeathWhen I went to the Underground that night, I decided to slit Vox’s throat on the spot. It was his second betrayal within a few months, and he didn’t take advantage of the mercy I’d offered. I’d marked him as a blood traitor, took away any chance he had to sit on the throne, and he still defied me.
He had to go.
Once I was in the room, I searched for him in the sea of faces. He and his comrades usually occupied the same table every time, but that table was empty. I found Steel and walked up to him. “Where’s Vox?”
“You didn’t hear the news?”
I stilled, knowing this would piss me off.
“He left—took his men with him.”
“What the fuck does that mean?”
“They just walked out and said they weren’t coming back. They forfeited their cuts for the month.”
Was this seriously happening? “He expects to take me down? When I have more men than him?”
“He didn’t say anything about that.”
“Then what other reason is there to leave?”
He shrugged.
“I just found out he was planning another coup.” When he’d spoken to Damien, and then Damien delivered money immediately afterward, he probably found that suspicious, too suspicious to be believed. So, he took off.
“You should have killed him—”
“Shut up. I’m tired of hearing that shit.” Now it was unclear if he’d taken off to start over somewhere else, or he was simply regrouping to take me out. I gripped my skull and started to pace, furious with myself for granting mercy, for giving in to my popularity rather than making the best decision.
Steel watched me. “Moving against you is suicide. He probably just found a better way to make money—”
“He’s the most spiteful man I’ve ever met. Finding him is our number one priority. You understand?”