Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 127484 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 637(@200wpm)___ 510(@250wpm)___ 425(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127484 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 637(@200wpm)___ 510(@250wpm)___ 425(@300wpm)
“You were stupid. And reckless with the only thing that matters,” he snarled. “Your life.”
I blinked rapidly, trying to weather the sheer weight of his anger, nothing like he’d ever unleashed on me before.
“Knox.”
When a voice shattered through the cloud of his ferocity, I realized that Lukyan was still in the room. I’d truly forgotten about his presence, something to note since Lukyan’s presence was almost as all-encompassing as Knox’s.
In a smooth move that seemed to take a single blink, one of Knox’s hands left my throat as the other took the gun from the holster underneath his jacket, pointing it in Lukyan’s direction.
“Say another word in a situation that involves me and my woman,” he dared.
I tore my gaze away from Knox, horrified that he was threatening Lukyan after he’d helped us. And not just threatening him; I got the distinct impression that Knox wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger. He was balanced on a knife’s edge, savagery clawing at the edges of his soul. I could see it. His thirst for death.
Lukyan, for his part, did not look the least bit afraid that he was quite possibly seconds from death. In fact, he raised an eyebrow, as if amused. “The thanks I get for saving your woman?” He shook his head, then all amusement left his face. “I’ll give you one pass for this.” He waved toward the gun. “Once. Because I understand the pull of the underworld when your woman is in danger. But this is not a grace I will give you again.” His eyes bounced to me, to the hand at my neck. “Good luck, Piper,” he said before he turned his back to leave.
Arrogant or brave or delusional, to turn his back on Knox with the gun still pointed at him.
Admittedly very badass too.
I’d held my breath because I really did not need to witness another murder. Especially of Lukyan. I might not have liked the man—he was impossible to like—but I liked his wife a great deal. I felt a kinship with them, had an affinity to the intensity of the connection they shared. I understood what Knox would be obliterating if he had pulled the trigger. It would be destroying something truly sacred, and if he had shot him, I didn’t doubt karma would find us—if there was an us—to return the favor one day.
Luckily, he didn’t.
But he didn’t lower the gun until long after Lukyan had closed the door, Knox’s chest rising and falling quickly.
Nor did he let me go from where he had me pinned against the wall.
My breathing wasn’t entirely obstructed, but my lungs were beginning to burn from the effort it took me to suck in air. My ribs throbbed, and my muscles groaned from the exertion I’d put them through these past few days.
I wanted to call out to him. Wanted to lift my arm to touch him, embrace him. But all of my instincts were telling me to stay still, to wait.
Slowly, Knox put the gun back in its holster then returned his attention to me.
Rage was an inferno in his eyes, but it seemed somewhat contained now. But I didn’t miss the cruel, angry shine that seemed to cover him like armor.
Fair enough.
I’d shown him that he needed armor around me now. It didn’t matter that I’d done it for the right reasons. With the best of intentions. The road to hell was paved with all those good intentions, after all. And that’s where I walked. For Knox. Into hell. I would’ve lived there, as long as it was with him. A fool’s hope, maybe.
Knox searched my face. Every pore. Every crevice. For what, I didn’t know. Maybe marks? Bruises?
The pressure at my neck remained, but now his thumb brushed against my artery with a gentleness that was a balm to my soul.
Knox exhaled roughly and slowly as he leaned forward, his forehead resting against mine.
My frayed nerves were unable to turn off entirely, but I slumped at the touch, my body reveling in the intimacy of his touch.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “For saying those things. Those horrific, untrue things. I didn’t mean them. I know it’ll take more than that for you to forgive me, but…”
Knox brought his head back up so he could regard me with a crystal-clear gaze. No hurt swam in it. “I do not need to forgive you for what you said because I knew you didn’t mean them, right when you said them.”
His tone was harsh, still laced with anger but not for the betrayal of using his most intimate trauma against him.
“Piper, do you believe I think so little of you that I would let words, foolish words used as an attempt at a rescue so much as scratch my feelings for you?” He continued rubbing my neck. “I do not devalue what we are so easily. I do not devalue you so easily.”