Page 21 of Villainous Greed

“I’ll kill him for every touch he’s laid upon you and the others,” I vowed to her. “No one will hurt any of you. Not when I get my hands on these guys.”

“Do you have a knife?” she asked. I materialized one for her and nearly took it away from her when she sliced her palm open. Blood dripped on my pants leg. “Now yours,” she said.

“I heal quick,” I replied as I cut mine.

“I’ll be quicker,” she promised. Her lashes fluttered quickly as she spoke words I didn’t recognize. When she let go of her hand, she dropped my hand. “You can still, you know…”

I had a feeling I knew what she was referring to, but still needed her to say it. “Let me know, since it’s too late to back out now.”

She huffed. “You can still be with whoever you want. With however many you want. You knowsex.Not that you needed protection from someone, but it would keep Derrick oranyonefrom touching me. I don’t want those things.”

I gawked. “Never?”

“Why do you seem so disturbed?” She leaned away warily.

Because you’re the one I want to do those things with. Not now. Or even in a few years, but when you’re no longer so afraid every time I touch you.“I’m not… I think right now we’re young and you’re not sure what you might want years from now.”

She had a dreamy expression, as if she thought of something wondrous, glancing toward the trees. “I know exactly what I want.”

“What’s that?”

“I want to live far away from all the bad things in the world. Somewhere nice and safe. Somewhere that allows me to live in harmony with the kids.” Her eyes shined bright observing them. “Maybe by a lot of water. I like the idea of being clean, or I mean, cleaner.”

There were thoughts of a casino I planned to put in the Underworld. Or the many more I could add to steal from the demons of the city. All those wants disappeared as I admired Nova. I had no desire to claim the city. Instead, Greed tried toimagine what Nova might look like in twenty years resting on a beach. It was impossible to picture how much her beauty might change, but the idea of her being happy was all my curse needed to want that, too. I pictured Nova resting in a tub as I lathered her curls and my chest felt like it would burst from happiness. And I thought of how nice it would be to hold her hand as we shopped a human street, and I showed her a variety of yummy food. But nothing would be new to her anymore because I would have given her everything.

“Yeah, that soundsexactlylike my idea for the future,” I whispered.

Her head turned toward me gradually. I held her eyes, not to intimidate her like I did to so many, but because I craved a connection with her. One stronger than anything she’d felt before. I wanted her to know she was my girl.

“Okay,” Nova said suddenly, which had me freezing in place.

“Okay what?” I asked.

“I’m scared,” she admitted the same two words she did the day before, and I grabbed her hand, hoping to soothe her. “But I don’t want to be anymore.”

Grabbing her other hand, I squeezed both as if I prayed she could sense everything I felt for her through our touch. “By my side, no one will dare hurt you,” I swore.

Her throat moved as she swallowed nervously. “Tomorrow. This time tomorrow. I’ll hide the kids in the woods and let you free me, then we’ll…” She let her words drift off as she looked at me expectantly.

My heart knocked against my ribcage. “I’ll find us a home.Allof us,” I promised.

It was the first time Nova smiled because of me. And the last.

Chapter Nine

August’s Perspective Of That Following Day.

I rubbed my fingers over the hair ties on my wrist. My joy was immediate, tugging at my chest, making me feel as if happiness would spill from my pores like syrup. Resting against the tree, I waited for Nova. Not wanting her to be the one waiting, I came early in case she arrived sooner. My giddiness died down the longer I prowled through the woods. That horrible place hid Nova away from me. Some spell kept me from finding her. I hated anything that dared to keep me apart from her. Nova and the others didn’t belong there. I couldn’t wait to take them away.

I didn’t tell Mom of my plans. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings. She wouldn’t understand that I couldn’t stay at the castle. Not when I had my family to protect, like Grim. During another visit to the City of the Dead, I cheated a demon out of an empty mansion through poker weeks ago while Sebastian slept. Our living arrangements wouldn’t be permanent. I couldn’t imagine Boom wanting to live in the Underworld. Honestly, I didn’t think she wanted to live around anyone at all. Just her and the minions. I was okay with that, but I was both nervous and excited to care for them. Nervous because I didn’t want to screw up. Nor did I want Grim or my brothers making fun of meby saying I was too young. Not that I cared what they thought. I found something they didn’t. My future, my lover, my little star.

I waited to save her from whatever horrendous place that trapped her.

Dead leaves crunched under the weight of someone’s boots. With a grin, I jumped up. My heart raced at the sight of Nova. She came. Until that moment, I feared she would lose her nerve and not go through with it. She lifted her chin and our gazes locked. The corner of her lips curled, eyes darkening, and her tongue darted out. I paused, at a loss for words. Something about her facial expression seemed different, but I supposed she was as nervous as I was.

“Grim’s son…” Her voice was husky as she examined me up and down. I wondered why she didn’t say my name instead. She’d never looked at me the way every other woman did. One day… I told myself she’d open herself to me. I hadn’t expected such a change so quickly when the day before tears coated her cheeks from the fear of going back to the man called Derrick. I’d already dubbed Derrick as my nemesis before I’d crossed paths with him.

“Are the others safe?” I asked her.

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