Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 29381 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 147(@200wpm)___ 118(@250wpm)___ 98(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29381 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 147(@200wpm)___ 118(@250wpm)___ 98(@300wpm)
Wiping my tears away with impatient hands, I push out of his embrace. “We don’t have time for this. Let’s start by looking in the desk—”
“Tabby…” Raiden clutches my shoulders, refusing to let me move more than a meter away. “You’ve suffered an incredible loss.”
“It’s Tabitha. And Mathias doesn’t care about my feelings. He’s likely plotting to kill me, too.” I drop my hand to my rounding belly. “Us. Because of what I might know. We’ll be safer if we figure it out and tell the world.”
He nods grimly. “But you’ve been so strong since the attack. Let me be your pillar.”
What is he implying, that he’ll be here to support me? Shelter me? Grieve with me? I study his too-handsome face, trying to discern the answer. But he looks carved from granite, unreadable as a statue—except his blue eyes, which radiate an unexpected warmth. Compassion.
He claims he’s here for me now, but I know it’s not because he loves me. Raiden wanted me once. Now he merely pities me. What a bitter pill to swallow.
“I’m fine.”
But I’m lying. I’m not fine. My hands shake as I set down the picture. The metal frame clatters face down onto the desktop. My family’s smiling faces disappear. Sadness and frustration crash down on me as loss deluges me again. Angry tears flood my eyes, slide hotly onto my cheeks.
Raiden curses, hauling me closer. “That’s it. Cry. I’m sorry I’ve been a bastard, and I’m probably the last person in the world you want comforting you. But I’ll be damned if I’ll watch you bleed inside and do nothing. So don’t shut me out.”
I do need to cry. I hate to admit that, and it’s horrible timing. But after shoving down my shock and grief to deal with the danger, emotions are unavoidably catching up with me. But if I burden Raiden now, he’ll only leave me faster. He’s made it plain he’s not interested in love, and he’s never going to commit. Availing myself of his momentary compassion will only hurt more when he walks away for the final time.
I look down, try to hide my crumbling expression from him. Raiden is having none of that. He tips my chin and forces me to meet his stare.
Suddenly, I can’t hold in my choking grief anymore.
As the first sob wracks me, I try to avert my gaze. But he sees straight through me, probably because he knows me too well. He simply doesn’t love me the way I love him.
With a curse, Raiden crushes me against his chest. The steady beat of his heart under my ear is both a joy and a sorrow. I need him too much to push him away, so I cling, throwing my arms around his neck and burrowing closer.
“Raiden...”
A moment later, he brushes the tears from my face and cups my cheeks, his gaze penetrating mine, full of a thousand emotions.
I catch my breath. I’ve seen many expressions cross Raiden’s face, but in nearly every one, the windows to his soul have been closed. Hot, challenging, alluring, yes. But never revealing, stark. Haunted. Open. Like now.
He lowers his head—slowly. I can stop him at any time…but my aching eyes and my bleeding heart take over. Stopping him is the last thing I want.
My heart thumps so hard that it threatens to beat out of my chest. Raiden does this every time he touches me. I can’t fight the rush of feelings and sensations. They pull me inexorably toward him. I know, even without a wizard’s mating instinct, that he is the mate of my heart.
Too bad that he lacks the instinct—or love—to believe I’m his mate as well.
But none of that matters now. He’s giving me the very comfort that’s suddenly my air. I don’t have the will to stop him.
The first brush of his lips over mine pushes all thoughts aside. He lingers, breathes, urges me to open with a touch so soft I nearly weep. Then he waits until I’m breathless, rising on my tiptoes and grabbing his biceps, silently begging as I press myself against him.
An instant later, he plunges deep inside my mouth, stealing my sanity and reclaiming my soul. His familiar taste haunts me. He’s so male. So Raiden. So irresistible.
With a moan, I open myself up for more of his kiss. He samples me gently…yet takes what he wants in that subtly commanding way of his.
Unable to remember why I shouldn’t, I lift my fingers to the hard breadth of his shoulders, then caress my way across his chest until I loop my arms around his neck. Raiden grips my hips and presses closer, demanding. He is so solid—in every way. He’s the anchor in my storm. The safe harbor in the raging sea of my grief.
“I’m here, Tabby,” he murmurs against my lips. “I’ll hold you. I’ll keep you safe.”