Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 117510 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 588(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117510 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 588(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Drawing her closer, he pressed a kiss to her forehead and stroked her back, letting her know without words that the last thing he intended to do was snap at her. All he wanted was to hold, comfort, and soothe her.
“You shouldn’t have let the incorporeal go,” she said, voice a little croaky.
Knox skimmed his thumb over her jaw. “Your life is a billion times more important than its death.”
“It will keep coming.”
“And it will keep failing.”
Harper hoped to God that was true, because she was so done with assholes hurting her and the people she loved. She shifted a little, flexing her toes and fingers. She felt drained and drowsy, but her lungs and throat no longer burned. Still, her muscles were tired and stiff. That didn’t stop her body from reacting to his nakedness—it was a total traitor.
Tossing the hot water bottle aside, she said, “I feel like I’ve been in a car wreck.”
Knox played his fingers through her hair. “You scared me. I could feel you weakening … feel your pulse slowing.” Resting his hand on her chest, he let the steady beat of her heart soothe him. “Too close. I came too close to losing you. Again.”
She swallowed at the torment in his voice. She wanted to be mad at him for what he’d said last night and for keeping things from her. She was mad at him, but it was hard to keep a firm grip on that anger when he looked so tortured. Her demon, on the other hand, had no problem holding onto its rage—it sniffed haughtily at him, unmoved.
“If the incorporeal hadn’t warned me what was happening to you, you would have died right there in front of me.” As the dark reality of that once again hit him square in the chest, Knox tightened his hold on her. “You should have reached out to me and told me how bad it had hurt you—if I’d known, I wouldn’t have spent so much time antagonizing it in the hope that it would make a mistake. I’m not asking why you didn’t. I know why you didn’t. But it’s not a good fucking reason. There’ll never be a good reason for you to die.” But she just stared at him, unapologetic. He dropped his forehead on hers. “You’re going to drive me into an early grave.”
“I’m going to put you into an early grave if you ever purposely hurt me again,” she warned.
Knox stifled a smile. Ah, there was his hissing, spitting kitten. “I’m an asshole.”
“Yes, you are.”
“I didn’t consciously set out to purposely hurt you, but it doesn’t change the fact that I did—I know that. And I’m sorry. I fucked up. Majorly. But I need you to forgive me, baby, because the way you’re looking at me right now—all wary and sad—is killing me.”
Harper wanted to groan. Why did he have to be so good at apologies? Was it so wrong that she wanted to be mad at him for a while? She didn’t think so, but he knew just how to take the wind out of her sails.
“I didn’t mean what I said last night,” he continued. “I don’t think you want Drew. Nor do I think you like having his attention. I said that shit because I was pissed.”
“And hurt.”
“And hurt,” Knox admitted, though he’d never have confessed that weakness to anyone other than her. “It’s been an extremely long time since I had someone in my life who had the power to hurt me. I’m not yet used to it. I can’t say I like that you have that power, but I wouldn’t give you up for anything. No matter how much of a bastard I am, never think that you’re not everything to me.”
“You weren’t here when I woke up,” said Harper. When she’d promised she wouldn’t walk out after arguments as long as he gave her what space she needed to calm, he’d agreed on the condition that she’d never sleep anywhere except beside him. He’d given her space last night, but she suspected that was also because he’d been brooding. “You didn’t sleep beside me.”
“Because, like I said, I’m an asshole.”
“And you were brooding.”
He couldn’t deny it. His demon—whose temper ran quick and hot—had lost its anger with her within the hour. It had pushed at him to seek her out, but Knox had been too busy ruminating on everything. As such, his demon had sulked all damn night and morning.
Harper hiked up a brow. “You’re not honestly going to deny it, are you?”
Knox’s mouth quirked. She was the only person who expected him to explain himself. She was also the only person he ever would explain himself to. “No, I’m not.” He tucked her hair behind her ear. “I always thought I was too emotionally disconnected to ever have a mate. Of course, I knew what love was—I’d felt it for my parents. But after so many years without them, the memory of the emotion had faded. Still, I’d sensed the emotion in others and I’d known full-well that it wasn’t something I’d felt for a woman. Then there was you.