Page 121 of The Sinner's Bargain

“Are you angry with me?”

I would have laughed long and hard if she didn’t look so heartbroken.

I tucked my finger under her chin and lifted her face back to mine. “One word, my love, just one and I’ll gut that bitch myself.”

Blue sniffled. The sound a rusty dagger through the heart. “I made such a mess.”

I shook my head. “It’s nothing I can’t fix.”

Her gaze lowered again. “I’m not sorry.”

I didn’t bother concealing my grin this time. “Nor should you be.”

“She is a terrible person.” That fire was in her eyes again. In the hard set of her jaw. “I never want to hurt another person. I didn’t think I was capable. But I wanted to hurt her. I wanted to...” she broke off with an expression between that goddess and uncertainty shifting over her features. It was like watching a beautiful war. “But I think I finally understand why people hurt each other. It feels good. Being in control. Seeing the fear and pain in their eyes.” She bit her lip and a tear slid down her cheek. “Having power over them.”

I realized she wasn’t talking about Jeannette anymore. This was something else, a personal trauma she was coming to realize, and I didn’t like it. I didn’t like the flatness of her tone. The defeat in her shoulders. The way she was picking at her bandages.

“There is a difference, sweetheart. The person who hurt you never had power over you. So they tried to break you instead. They failed.”

She shook her head, chin quivering. “They didn’t.”

I captured her face and forced her to look at me. “They fucking did, Blue, because the vengeful goddess I just fucking saw was not a broken woman. She was fierce and beautiful. Christ, baby, she was a fucking sight to behold. But she’s in there. That piece of shit couldn’t break her.”

I pulled her into my arms. Cradled her in my lap with her legs around my waist on the floor in the middle of the shop as she wept into my shoulder. I pressed her into my chest, trying to absorb every violent tremor. I told her again and again that I loved her.

I fucking loved her so much.

But only in my head. It wasn’t the time.

“Thoran?” she whispered into the side of my neck several minutes later.

“Yes, my love?”

“Please don’t be angry with Cyrus. I don’t think he could have stopped me.”

But you still got hurt, I wanted to remind her. Even if it was by her own hands, her blood was too precious to spill.

“That’s not how it works,” I said instead. “He was supposed to watch over you.”

Blue raised her head. Eyes lined with red and filled with annoyance met mine. “He’s not a babysitter. Honestly, he shouldn’t have even been here. He should be protecting you. You’re more important—”

I captured her jaw. “You’re fucking important to me, Blue.”

Her brows furrowed. “Who is going to come after me? No one even knows I exist. But if they see you unguarded...”

“He stays with you,” I bit out.

“Thoran...”

I kissed her.

I clamped a hand on the back of her neck and held her to my angry frustrations. I filled her mouth with my tongue and consumed her whimper.

“This conversation is over,” I growled into her swollen mouth. “Cyrus stays with you.”

“But—”

I bit her bottom lip until she cried out. “Over,” I warned for the last time.

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