Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 98496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Kassia gulped as she found herself face to face with Domenico Moretti.
During the ride to Lyccan Hall, the professor had explained to her about his older brother’s position and how he had once been the most respected warrior prince of their race. She had thought then she would be ready to face Domenico Moretti, but seeing him in the flesh made Kassia realize that wasn’t possible at all. There were no words that could prepare any human being for their first meeting with the eldest Moretti prince, especially when one knew that he wasn’t human like them.
“Hello, Kassia.”
Crap, Kassia thought nervously. It was like hearing God speak. “Happy birthday, sir highness.”
Silence.
And then Kassia realized what she had said. “Oh my God.” She turned to the professor in horror. “Please tell me you have the power to erase my memories.”
It was Domenico who answered her, his eyes gleaming with laughter as he said apologetically, “That unfortunately is not one of our, err, powers.”
Alessandro was also tempted to laugh, but then Kassia turned to him, wide-eyed and lips trembling. She obviously wanted to cry, and it made her so cute and irresistible that he couldn’t stop himself. He bent down and kissed her again.
Around him, Lyccans started to whisper, and the malice in their voices couldn’t have made their thoughts any clearer.
Alessandro Moretti, kissing a human girl in public, when in the past the only times his emotions were apparent was when he was furiously beating another Lyccan for insulting his future pack leader.
Clearly, Alessandro was following in his older brother’s footsteps.
Clearly, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.
When he ended the kiss, Alessandro’s gaze met Domenico’s over Kassia’s head.
“Don’t do it,” Domenico said tightly, his voice so low only Alessandro and other Lyccans within earshot would hear him, leaving humans like Kassia unaware that he had spoken at all.
Alessandro didn’t answer.
He didn’t have to.
When he kissed Kassia again and drew her to the dance floor, it was answer enough for Domenico. Alessandro was doing this because he loved, and because Domenico loved, too, he knew that there would be no stopping his brother.
“KASSIA?”
“Mm?” She could stay like this forever, Kassia thought languorously. It was heaven, dancing in the professor’s arms. When they were this close, her head against his chest, his heart beating against her ear, she felt like nothing else existed except the two of them. She stopped worrying about what the other Lyccans would think of her. She forgot about whether she was right to let herself fall harder and deeper for the professor when she wasn’t even sure she could trust him again.
When she was dancing in the professor’s arms, she only existed to love.
“Kassia, listen to me.” The professor’s voice sounded rough and uneven, penetrating her daydream and making her lift her head in bemusement.
“What is it, professor?”
“I have something to tell you.” His smile didn’t reach his eyes as he spoke. “I love you, Kassia, and I want to spend forever with you.”
Her breath caught. “Professor—-”
“But the only way we can have a future is if we’re completely honest with each other.”
She stilled, which forced the professor to stop, too.
“You’re making me nervous,” she whispered.
His chest constricted. “I’m sorry.”
She didn’t say anything, but her eyes pleaded with him. Don’t say anything that would make me stop loving you.
He took a deep breath. “Remember I told you Domenico married a human girl.”
She nodded.
“They were in love...” From a short distance away, Domenico’s sharp intake of breath reached Alessandro, Lyccan hearing making it possible for almost everyone in the ballroom to listen in to his conversation.
Alessandro knew this, but he didn’t let it stop him from doing what he had come here to do.
Looking down at Kassia, he said tautly, “I believe my brother and his wife would have stayed together if he had told her the truth first.”
Kassia bit her lip hard as she realized where this discussion was going. “A-are you telling me you lied t-to me?”
Forcing himself to meet her hurt gaze, he said harshly, “Yes.”
Kassia started to take a step back, but he was too fast, pulling her back close to him. “Listen. Please. Just please give me a chance to tell you everything.”
Even as she mentally beat herself up for being so weak, Kassia couldn’t help but take comfort from the strength the professor’s presence provided. Why, she thought miserably, couldn’t she stop loving him even when the professor couldn’t stop hurting her?
Her hand curling against his dress shirt, she whispered, “I don’t k-know if I want to listen to the truth, Professor.”
“But I have to tell you, sweetheart.” Tension made his voice curt and his body stiff. “Lies have the power to tear people apart. I’ve seen it happen, and I don’t want it to happen to us, knowing I could have prevented it.” She didn’t answer, and Alessandro knew that was all he would get from her. “My brother and I used to fight a lot. We didn’t see eye to eye on certain things and because of this, I had all this pent-up anger inside me that I could only release by fighting.”