Page 249 of Psycho Devils: Aran's Story 2

The twins had no obligation to be kind. Yet that was all they’d ever been.

Luka tucked the comforter under my feet and said, “I better not see you take these socks off. You’ve been shivering a lot lately.”

Pressure welled.

Tears spilled down my cheeks, and my lips parted on a silent sob.

“What?” Luka’s hand stroked my forehead. “Please don’t cry.”

He was being so nice to me.

His words had the opposite effect of what he was going for.

I sobbed harder. Curling onto my side, I buried my head in a pillow and shook from the force of the emotions burning through my chest.

I was on fire, but the flames came from within.

I missed when I’d felt nothing.

The haze was nice.

This was hell.

“Aran, please.” Luka gingerly crawled into the bed and scooped me into his arms so his front was to my back. I was pressed against him and the wall.

His muscled frame blocked me from the rest of the room.

He enveloped me.

Completely.

Protectively.

I turned and cried into his chest, careful to make no noise so I didn’t alert the rest of the room that I was being pathetic.

On the floor, the demons thrashed and moaned in pain. The kings panted with exhaustion as they pulled needles and threads through skin with expert precision.

I cried because for the first time in my life, I knew two men I really liked.

Sun god help me.

By some small miracle, no one but Luka noticed I was breaking down. His arms surrounded me, but they rested against me lightly like he was afraid I’d break if he touched me too hard.

“Sorry,” I whispered into his chest as I soaked his bloody shirt with pathetic tears.

Luka leaned forward and pressed his lips against my ears so only I could hear him. “Don’t you dare apologize for crying.”

Of course I cried harder.

Luka groaned like I was hurting him and whispered, “You know, I thought Aran was the coolest guy I’d ever met.”

I hiccuped and bit down on my fist to quiet myself. Warm, callused fingers tangled in my curls, and Luka palmed the back of my head. He pulled me closer and said, “And now I think Arabella is the coolest woman.”

I blinked up at him.

The corners of his mouth pulled up into a small smile, and he transformed from an unapproachable grouch into a breathtakingly handsome man.

Another sob welled inside me.

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