Page 34 of Wings of Betrayal

Kyle is dressed now, leaning against the wall with his arms folded and his jaw tense. He’s not impressed. And to be fair, neither am I. This had better be damn important.

I yank the door open, and Amaros steps into my quarters without asking, gently shoving me aside as he scans my room. His focus locks onto Kyle, who has moved toward him.

There’s a stare-off for some time before I clear my throat. Bloody males.

“Amaros, you remember Kyle?” I ask, my tone conveying my frustration.

He doesn’t answer me, which is answer enough.

Kyle smirks. “Good to see you again. But maybe next time, you could wait at the door.”

I hurry to Kyle’s side as Amaros flares his nostrils.

“He has a point,” I say. “You need to respect my space. What do you want?”

My tone is harsher than I mean it to be, but after our last encounter, he deserves nothing less.

“Can we speak? Alone?” He doesn’t take his eyes off Kyle, who growls in response.

His growl does something inside me, hearing the protective nature of his feelings for me rise to the surface. He reaches down and wraps his hand around mine. So no, clearly he is not willing to allow me to speak with Amaros alone. And I don’t want to anyway.

Amaros catches the movement and stares at our joined hands before dragging his gaze back up to meet mine. “Please, Zarla?”

Damn, this male is crafty. His eyes moisten slightly, and the hurt there is palpable. Sadness tugs at my heart to see him like this. How can he do that to me, after everything? Why does he have such a hold over me? I bite my bottom lip and give a gentle shake of my head. I don’t think I can speak just yet.

Kyle looks at me then responds on my behalf. “I think you have your answer. She’s not interested in hearing your lies.”

Amaros balls his fists. “I wasn’t asking you, archangel.”

His voice is dark and laced with anger, and it scares me a bit.

Kyle immediately shifts his body so he’s standing in front of me. “I think you should leave.”

Tears spill over as I lock stares with Amaros. Any trace of the hurt that was there is replaced now with rage, and it’s difficult to know whether it’s directed at me or Kyle. Maybe the both of us.

I can sense Kyle’s powers building, waiting just below the surface, ready if needed. Amaros appears to sense it too as he shifts uneasily from one foot to the other. He drops his focus to our linked hands, then abruptly turns and leaves my quarters.

I let out a long breath, and Kyle takes my face between his hands.

“Are you all right?”

“No,” I reply honestly. How can I be all right? This whole situation is so bad. “But I will be.”

He studies my face for a moment. “I hate that you have to be here with him. I don’t trust him.”

I swallow hard, and he gently catches my tears with his thumbs and wipes them away.

“I know,” I say, “and I don’t either. But there’s nothing I can do. I’m just so glad you’re here with me.”

He tugs me into his chest and holds me until I settle down, and there’s nowhere I would rather be.

I take Kyle into the city and show him around. He didn’t get to see much of my Kingdom the last time he was here. It was such a brief visit.

We head to the Dark Forest next, and I show him the huts we built together when we were young. His eyes light up at the memory as he steps into the bushes to check them out.

“Wow. They’ve held up pretty well, too.” He ducks down low and squeezes his enormous frame through the entrance, and I follow behind him.

There’s not much room in here, so it’s just as well we don’t mind the proximity to one another.

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