Page 78 of Wicked Heirs

“Then you and I can—”

“I actually have a lot of coursework to get done and I need to finish my healing spell.”

“Bullshit.”

“Bullshit that my workload is heavy? I think not.”

“Bullshit that it’s the reason you don’t want to spend time with me.”

She blew out a breath.“Do you have to be argumentative about everything?”

“Do you?”

“Urgh.”She threw her hands up in the air.“Look, being with you that night was intense. Good and bad. The bad part was that it was all-consuming. I need to get a handle on it.”

He stepped up to her, really close.“It’s okay to want someone more than you can explain, a want and a need that goes beyond understanding and reason. If only you’d lose the fear and let yourself experience the invigorating freedom of it.”

She pulled away as he went to reach out to touch her hair.

A growl escaped him.“I made you mine that night. Claimed you.”

“Well, if we’re getting technical, it happened in a dream state and—”

“Don’t downplay it.”

“And you stop expecting so much.”

“Why shouldn’t I? The connection between us is miraculous.”

“But also dangerous.”

“Dangerous how? Because you think I’m gonna pull you into the dark? I thought we already went over this? Strength of will? Your choice? Do you recall any of that?”

“It’s dangerous because I wanted to lose myself to it, to you!”she yelled, her composure cracking finally.

She’d honestly held up well against him even lasting that long. It didn’t normally happen. People pretty much cracked right away.

No wonder he was so enamored with her.

Well,obsessedwas a much more accurate word for it.

And it seemed to only be getting worse.

That didn’t bode well for anyone.

You didn’t want Orpheus Hart losing it in any fucking way.

There were very few things more dangerous than that.

“Alena,”he said, moving closer to her again, trying to snuff out the distance between them—in more ways than one.

“Fine. You want more, you want to get closer?”

“I do.”

“More than just physically?”

“Do you really think I’d go to all this trouble, actually pursue you, just for a couple of fucks?”

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