Page 38 of God of War

"There's a hole in your wall and a stapler on the floor," she murmurs. "And you yelled for me to fuck off before I opened the door."

Shit. I didn't even realize she'd noticed the stapler.

"Difference of opinion with one of my men," I mutter.

"It required a stapler to go flying?"

"That was the result." I shrug.

"What happened, Naz?" She strokes my jaw, genuine concern in her emerald eyes. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Do I? Fuck no. Should I? Probably. Because even now, with her in my arms, fury still threatens to slide through my veins. The desire to rip this goddamn empire down around me is…powerful. I'd rather topple it myself than risk letting Rojas get his hands on it because some prick thinks he knows better than I do.

Loving her hasn't blinded me. I think the exact opposite is true. For the first time in my life, I think I'm seeing clearly. And the future I see? It's not more of this shit.

Heavy is the motherfucking head.

"Do you ever wish you were someone else, little one?" I ask wearily.

She laughs softly. "Only every day since I met you, Naz."

I tip her chin back, forcing her to look at me. "What does that mean?"

"I was just kidding."

"You weren't. Explain."

She bites her lip and shrugs, her gaze darting away from mine and then back. "I don't think I can stop this war," she whispers, her voice small in a way it's never been. "I keep looking for a way, keep hoping but…" She exhales a shaking breath, her bottom lip quivering. "There isn't one. I'm going to lose my family, Naz. Or you. That's how this ends for me. So yeah, I wish I were someone else."

I cup her face in my hands, my heart aching at the pain in her voice. "Look at me, Brynna," I command softly. When she does, I see the tears shimmering on her lashes. "I won't let that happen,mi amor. I promise you."

"How?" she whispers. "How can you possibly promise that? This is so much bigger than us. It's your entire organization."

"Nothing is bigger than us." I brush the tears from her lashes. "The whole world is divided for me into two parts: one is she, and there is all happiness, hope, light; the other is where she is not, and there is dejection and darkness," I whisper, knowing instinctively that she'll recognize the line fromWar and Peace, that she'll understand.

"Naz," she breathes, her expression softening.

"You're what I need in this world, Brynna. More than this fucking empire. More than my own goddamn life. I'll tear it all down myself if that's what it takes to end it. I love you, little one."

Her breath catches. "W-what?"

"You heard me. The predator fell in love with his pawn." I brush my thumb over her plump bottom lip, smiling at the way her eyes widen. "Te amo. I love you. Nothing is bigger than that. Nothing matters more than that."

Tears spill down her cheeks as she launches herself at me, wrapping her body around me. "I love you too, Naz. So much that it terrifies me."

I crush her to my chest, burying my face in her fiery hair as my entire being shakes.Cristo, three little words. Three perfect little words. "I know,mi amor. I know."

She clings to me for a long moment, just letting me hold her, adore her,loveher, before she pulls back, meeting my gaze.

"Why do you want to be someone else, Naz? There's nothing wrong with who you are." Her sweet smile is everything. It's redemption. It's salvation. It's peace.

"Perhaps not," I murmur. "But this goddamn empire has become a yoke around my neck."

"So cut it." She touches my cheek, her fingers gentle. "You make the rules, Naz. If these cause you pain, make new rules."

"Maybe you're right," I murmur, turning my face to kiss her fingers. Perhaps that's exactly what I need to do.

Chapter Eleven

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