Page 190 of Barbi and the Villain

“You are prettier than that female to me, Barbs—than any female. That is not a compliment. It is a reality. I am not one to offer false platitudes, so when I tell you that you are the most beautiful to me, you must believe me.”

“Girls like pretty words,” I mutter under my breath.

His lips curve up. Tipping my chin, he curves his palm along my jaw.

“Words are meaningless if they are not backed by actions. So let my actions speak for themselves. Let the fact that my eyes see only you be proof enough that no other can measure up to you. Let the fact that I am who I am, what I am, because your blood flows through my veins be proof enough that I am, because you are.” He takes a deep breath. “Let the fact that my body reacts to you and only you be the only proof you need, sweet thing.”

My lashes flutter in surprise. He claims words are meaningless, but then why do his words make my heart flutter? Why does my mark heat up at hearing him speak so prettily?

“You might not think so, but words are also important, Nyk,” I whisper, taking his hand and kissing his palm. “The words you speak are the words I hear, the words I replay all over in my head, and the words I carry in my heart. Actions are important, yes. But words are to actions what kisses are to making love. You don’t have to kiss to make love, but it’s certainly a much more pleasurable activity with it. Same goes for words. You don’t need them, but they can enrich everything.”

He tilts his head, smiling as he studies me.

“And you are suddenly an expert in making love?”

“No, but I am becoming an expert in kissing,” I murmur as I lift myself on the tips of my toes and touch my lips to his. “And I would never give them up for anything in the world. Same for those pretty words.”

“Ah, Barbi, Barbi. You win. You will have your kisses and your pretty words,” he whispers before he swoops me in his arms and proves it with his actions.

We arrive at the portal at dusk. Even with the darkening sky, the portal is a mass of black swirling energy, resembling a black hole.

A shiver of fear and anticipation goes down my back.

This is it. This is the moment he’s been waiting for over seven thousand years.

Despite being happy about the prospect of helping him accomplish his revenge, I can’t help but be a little apprehensive about what this journey will have in store for us. His home holds so many memories for him—memories of Mo.

Deep down, I am still anxious about his feelings for her, especially when everything around him will remind him of her.

It’s okay, Barbi. It’s all going to be all right. He will kill his brother and then we will live together happily ever after. It’s that simple.

I keep telling myself the same thing over and over again, but seeing the portal in front of me has all these doubts returning with a vengeance.

Nykander places the dog house on the ground and turns to me.

“You must not at any point reveal your energy signature, Barbs. All right? The moment you do, everyone in Tartareia will know there is an Aperite deity in their midst and they will not stop hunting us.”

“Okay.” I nod. “I can do this.”

“I know you can.” He smiles as he leans in to kiss my forehead. “And before we cross over, I want you to do something for me.”

“What?”

He materializes a knife in his hand and gives it to me.

“Cut my hair.”

My eyes widen at his request.

“It will be much easier to avoid attention if I do not look as I used to,” he explains.

“Oh, all right.”

He takes a seat on the grass in front of me. I thread my fingers through his hair, admiring the silky texture of his locks.

“I think I’ll miss you with your long hair,” I murmur.

“I can grow it again for you after everything is over,” he mentions.

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