Page 47 of Tangled Fates

“Nothing,” I said, storming off, doubting everything.

I went outside to get my thoughts in order away from my brother and from her. She was getting under my skin and what if Soren was right? Then I needed to get away, but it didn’t feel like that. My intuition was pretty good, but I had never put a woman before a mission, this wasn’t a fluke. I walked around the mountain range admiring the waterfall behind the tower that fell in the small lake.

She didn't do anything to me, she was my Amor Aeternus. My mate. My forever.

I growled about the fact that I had let Soren fuck with my confidence. I knew he was trying to come from a good place. He always thought he had to protect me, since my family hadn’t protected me from shit, but I wasn’t that scared boy anymore. When I met Ryder, I left that life behind, I wasn’t that scared young man any more. My family didn’t define me any more and neither would Soren.

The sun felt good, finally leaving the cold behind. Spring was finally in bloom with flowers growing and birds singing in the air. It was like a fucking fairy tale. I made my way into the tower instantly feeling like something was wrong. Damn these fucking stairs, but I made it to the storage room to check on Demitri and when he was still there, I ran to Ria’s room.

“What the hell did you do to him?” A loud growl reached me before I stood at her doorway to see Soren holding her against the wall.

“Nothing, you fucking brute,” she spit out at him, before I lost my cool.

“You did something to him, I know you did,” he snarled, leaning closer to her. “What did you give him?”

“Nothing,” she whispered. “I have done nothing to Gray, he’s been kind to me. Why would I do anything to him?”

“Why do you smell so mouthwatering?” Soren said so close to her face they almost touched. “Who are you?”

“Just a girl, stuck in a tower, waiting to be freed,” she whispered, tilting her head like she was showing him her throat.

Soren looked at her throat, his pupils dilating as he licked his lips.

“Take your fucking hands off of her,” I snapped, when he leaned in ever so slightly like he was going to feed from her.

They both looked at me like they had been caught fooling around like teenagers before they looked at each other. Then Soren stepped back, still looking at Sunshine with hunger in his eyes. He grabbed her wrist whispering the incantation releasing her from the chain. It landed on the floor with a loud thunk.

They stared at each other with longing in their eyes. Sunshine opened her mouth to say something when Soren climbed through the window and jumped out.

“No!” she yelled, looking out the window.

“He can survive that fall,” I said, wanting to ease her fear.

I peered out of the window behind her to see him walking towards the waterfall. It was eerie how similar we were and some of my earlier anger faded.

“Why does he think I did something to you?” she asked, turning around, looking up at me with her hazel eyes, and I knew I was fucking right.

“I’m easy on you even though he thinks you need to be punished for holding me captive,” I said, not knowing how to navigate this revelation.

I wanted to kiss her until she was breathless in my arms.

“I had to, I didn't?—”

“You don’t have to explain yourself to me,” I said, interrupting her. “I know this entire situation is messed up, but I think I’m understanding a little bit.”

She bit her bottom lip, like an invitation. I wanted to jump on, but remembered she had been here for two hundred years. How innocent was she? Had had a first kiss? Fuck, was she still a virgin?

“Gray,” she said hesitantly. “I?—”

She pursed her lips as she looked up at me.

“You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to,” I said, hoping to ease her discomfort.

“If you find the source of the Oria, what would you do with it?”

“Truthfully, we would probably take it and sell it,” I said, walking away from her. “Ryder, Soren and I are in the business of stealing, finding and selling. I’d like to say we are good men for the most part, but in this world you have to…”

If she was really mine, she would understand, right?

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