Page 137 of Barbi and the Villain

“Really? My bad. I should tell it to you daily. You are absolutely stunning, Barbs.”

My lips pull up in a wide grin. I cannot hide my joy and as I peer at his expression, I note the happiness reflected in his features, too.

I scoot closer to him. Popping another truffle in my mouth, I chew slowly as I throw my hands around his neck, bringing myself at eye level with him.

Errant strands of hair fall across his forehead, making him seem younger, more approachable. I use one hand to push his hair aside, letting my fingers linger on his cheek.

“I forgive you,” I whisper. “But don’t do it again, okay? You get one more chance, but after this, there will be none.”

A strained smile appears on his face before he leans to lay a kiss on my forehead. He doesn’t move, simply hovering over my skin, his breath a light caress.

“Thank you,” he finally speaks.

“Are you sure Damien will not be able to get here?” I blurt out, ruining the moment.

He threads his fingers through his hair as he releases a heavy sigh.

“I am sure, Barbi. What brought this on?”

“I just had a bad dream.” I strain a smile. “It made me a little unsettled.”

He frowns.

“What bad dream?”

“That Damien and his group of mages came to the Sanctuary and killed everyone,” I confess in a low voice. “He had this fire blade that was coated in your sire’s blood and he stabbed you with it.”

He narrows his eyes at me.

“Why don’t you tell me about this dream from the beginning? It might help to talk about it.”

I glance at him from the corner of my eye.

He grabs another truffle and brings it to my mouth.

I slowly bite into it and I recount everything I’d seen in my dream.

He doesn’t speak as he listens attentively. And as I eat the last of the truffles, he brings me closer to him, his arms coming around me in a comforting embrace.

“It was just a bad dream, Barbs. Nothing more.”

I nod, hugging him tighter.

“I wish I had some powers, too. I felt so useless…”

“You are not useless, and you have me to protect you. Do you trust me, Barbs?”

I peer up at him.

“Yes,” I whisper.

“Then trust that I will not fail you.”

“If we meet Damien at any point, can you please kill him?”

His brows shoot up in surprise.

“You want me to kill him?”

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