Page 49 of Villainous Greed

“Please don’t.” I fought the trembles threatening to overcome me.

“I won’t say anything else about it now. But tell me you know this is real. I’m here with you. I’m just as shocked to see you alive as you are to see me. But it’s a good shock. Thebestshock.”

“Give me the pillow.” When Sofia lifted it toward me, I snatched it and brought it to my face, inhaling the familiar scent. My eyes wouldn’t stop stinging. “This is real.”

August’s smell was thick, as if he were in the room with me. I might have conjured him in the cell many times or Harvest did, but illusions didn’t have scents.

“Yes. August was lying beside you, but left to give me a moment with you. Is that why you hug the pillow? Do you sense him?”

My skin felt blistering hot as I chucked the pillow to the floor. “I smell nothing.”

Sofia quirked a brow. “I didn’t mention smells.”

We quietly studied each other.

While I couldn’t tell for sure, Sofia appeared petite, so beautiful and healthy, too. I instinctively touched my face, wondering how I looked to her and August. I yearned for that ugly mask suddenly. Her beauty burned bright. Lowering my arms, I pulled at the sleeves of my cloak. I wasn’t petite, but malnourished. Whenever I was near water, I bathed and cleaned my mouth as best as I could. But I wasn’t someone who flourished under August’s care. Why was I thinking about those things? Why did my heart ache so badly?

“Did August say when he’d return?” I asked. “Perhaps, where he went?”

Part of me wanted to run far away from August and his family because I almost killed them. I wanted to destroy those who killed the ones I lost. First Derrick, then Harvest. Beingimmortal kept me from killing them, but I could seal them away forever.Yet, the unfamiliar version of me wanted to grab the pillow I tossed away and hug it. I wished to smell home, hope, and the peace Harvest denied me. But I feared all of those things. Once before, I felt hope and had it snatched away. The door creaked open, and August stuck his head around the corner. “I’m right here.”My skin flushed as I watched him. He jerked his head toward the door and said to Sofia, “You had your minute. Now I want her.”

“Don’t worry.” Sofia gently squeezed my hand as she rose from the bed. “Just remember that this is real.”

Then she stepped out of the door, leaving me alone with August.

“I see you redecorated my old room,” he stated, glancing at the wreckage.

“It wasn’t my intention. My powers… No, I’m out of control.”

“You have every reason to be, so I’ll tell you what I’m going to do.”

As he came closer, I arched my brow and asked,“What is it?”

“I can’t change our past, but I can hurt those who took our family and time from us. I’ll find Derrick and hand deliver him to you. Then we’ll crush Harvest and put an end to his madness once and for all. What do you say? You won’t try to bolt from me before we get revenge, will you?”

“Just like that?” I muttered. “You’re okay that I tried to kill you and your family?”

“Were you not paying attention to me?” August leaned over me, forcing me to tilt my head back. “You’ve never been myenemy. You are my love. No matter how many times you blew me apart, I would have tried reaching for you again.”

August touched his forehead to mine. I tensed as his breath heated my face. It felt odd having someone so close, but a peculiar, tingling warmth spread through my core.

“Do you know what this feels like? To hold you and realize for the hundredth time this hour that you are alive and within my reach?” August’s words danced across my skin.

“I’m scared to close my eyes, because you’re clearly a dream.” Inhaling deeply, August’s scent dragged me under some sort of spell.“I forgot what not hating you felt like.”

He dragged his fingers down my arm. Goose bumps pebbled my skin.

“What does that feel like?”

“Like…”

“Like a smile? Does it feel like your bones settle and suddenly everything’s less heavy? But in the peace, your body thrums and yearns?”

Yes, yes! I wasn’t sure what he meant, but I was sure about feeling at peace.

August’s fingers slid against my ribs, and I moaned, shocked at someone touching me there. A powerful, foreign throbbing happened between my legs.

“Do you want to pull me in like I want to sink into you?” he asked.

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