Page 109 of Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance

With nothing left to keep him busy other than to go check on Tessa, he steeled himself for the encounter. He’d heard the shower shut off a bit ago, which meant she was either wrapped in a towel or naked. The girl’s lackadaisical attitude towards nudity was becoming increasingly taxing. He’d never had a problem with nudity either until she’d started showing bare flesh all the godsdamn time.

His magic and his dragon, on the other hand, were pacing with excitement as he entered the ensuite. She was standing on the bathmat, dripping wet, but at least there was a towel wrapped around her.

Leaning his shoulder along the doorway, he glanced at the vanity. He should have grabbed her hairbrush while he was in her rooms. “What do you want to wear?” he asked.

“I can get my own clothing,” she answered, an edge to her tone that told him she was still riding that high, but there was an undercurrent of ire there too.

“I know you can,” he answered. “I was only offering to help.”

“Help,” she repeated, and the way she said it had him tensing.

“Yes,” he gritted out. “Tell me what you need.”

Her laugh was humorless and tinged with madness. “Why? So you can tell me to go to Theon to get it?” Before he could respond, she went on, “You won’t even look at me. How are you going to give me what I need? Is it because I killed Legacy? Because I won’t apologize for that, and?—”

“I’m glad you killed those fucking Legacy, Tessa,” he cut in, his gaze snapping to hers and holding her stare. “You defended yourself, and I’m godsdamn proud of you for that. Tell me how you did it.”

The anger in her eyes faltered a fraction. “What?”

“You heard me. Tell me how you killed them. Did you use your power?”

“For one of them.”

“Did you drag it out?”

He watched her throat bob with a swallow. “Yes. Forced him to his knees. Took away his air. Took his power.”

“And then?”

“I shoved a blade through his throat,” she said breathlessly.

“Such a violent temptress,” Luka said, his voice all gravel. “And the other?”

“I didn’t use any magic. Only blades.”

“I would have liked to see that.”

“Why?”

“Because I’ve seen you when you’re vicious, and it’s stunning to witness.”

“Stop,” she snapped.

He arched a brow. “Stop what?”

“Saying things like that.”

He shrugged a shoulder. “You asked. I answered.”

“No,” she sneered. “You say things like that. Say you’re going to give me what I need and then deny me. Unless you plan to just take from me like him?”

“I’m not going to take anything from you, Tessa. You’re going to have to come over here and ask for what you want.”

“Ask for it?” she scoffed.

“If you think I’m making this choice for you, think again. You want people to make the hard decisions for you and that won’t be me.”

“I never had to ask him,” she retorted, clutching the towel at her chest. “He justknewwhat I needed.”

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