Page 49 of Loki

She stared at him. “That was never my plan.”

“Then what did you need to talk to him about?” The strain in Loki’s voice grew intensely.

She wasn’t sure she wanted to tell him the deal she’d made. Primarily because if Loki knew what she’d agreed to, he would try to stop it. But she didn’t want to stop it. She’d promised to protect Elle, and if that meant she needed to sacrifice herself to keep her safe, then that’s what she needed to do. No matter the cost to herself. No matter what Surtr might do to her. No matter that, it meant she would have to leave Loki behind. The only person she’d ever... loved? No. She’d loved people before. Just... not the way she loved him. Shit. Did she love him? He’d said he loved her. And in that moment, she realized she did love him. How the hell had that happened? When had it happened? They’d known each other less and a freaking week!

“Just the terms. As you said, he gets to take us in if he wins. If he loses, he tells Surtr we aren’t here.”

Loki studied her face as if trying to see her deceit.

The bell rang on the match, and Val turned to the cage. Damn. The last fight hadn’t even lasted ten minutes.

“Guess that means I’m up.” She downed the second whiskey and stood, stretching her arms. A twitch of fear skittered over her, but she shoved it down like bile. She wouldn’t be scared of the frat boy Almax.

She reached in her boots and removed her knives, handing them to Loki. She undid her wrist blade as well. He placed them inside his jacket. She reached for her sword on her back, but he stopped her and shook his head.

“Not that one. Keep it. In case you need it.”

“Isn’t that against the rules?”

“I know, love, but I’ll be honest, I hadn’t expected you to fight him. I thought you would use your unnerving charm to make some kind of different contract.”

“Unnerving charm? We’ve met before, right?”

Loki stood and cupped her face. “You can’t trust Almax. He may not use any powers, but... that doesn’t mean he’ll play fair. He’s known to do whatever it takes to get what he wants.”

She scanned his face. “You don’t think I can best him.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“What are you saying?”

He blew out a breath and kissed her. “I’m saying that if anything happens to you, I wouldn’t want to exist anymore.”

Her chest squeezed. She laid her forehead on his. What did she say to that?

She blew out a breath of her own. “Then I better win.”

Loki’s eyes turned ice blue. “I won’t let him take you and Elle. Thor won’t, either. No matter what deal you made with him, he didn’t make a deal with me.”

“That’s not exactly fair. Aren’t you worried about your clientele?”

“I don’t give a crap about my clients. I’m not losing you.”

“And Lucifer?”

“Would you go to Valhalla and raise hell with me?”

She chuckled. “As long as I don’t have to fan you all day and bring you ale and crap.”

“You’re not a virgin, so I don’t think you have to worry about it.”

She punched him in the gut.

He grimaced. “I wasn’t complaining.”

“Val, you’re up,” Gadius called.

Val nodded and kissed Loki. “I got this.”

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