Page 2 of The Secrets We Share

“Cinder,” his command is sharp, and she knows who we share a space with, just as I do. She doesn’t leave my side; she’s my dog, but we’ve both trained her, and she knows better than to growl at him.

My body relaxes only because I know there’s no actual danger. I’m not going to die. But it doesn’t mean I’ll leave this shack unscathed from his protective wrath.

He’s quick to flick a lantern on, and the muted glow brightens the small space just enough to see each other. I don’t know how I missed another body here, but it makes sense why Cinder didn’t warn me; she wouldn’t see him as a threat.

In two strides, he’s on top of me. His large hand wraps possessively around my throat, but his thumb rubs soothingly against my pulse point. He’s pissed and shoving it aside to take stock of my body. First, the scratch across my cheek, then the state of my clothes covered in dirt from the hillside. When he’s satisfied I’m fine, he lifts his dark eyes before his lips crash against mine, jolting me back from his power.

He demands entrance, fighting to regain a semblance of control from a situation where there was none. He’s never forgiven himself for my kidnapping. Even though we both know my father would have done it eventually, regardless of Harkin’s involvement. His men took the opportunity and made the job about revenge instead of a simple retrieval. They got what was coming to them.

A moan builds in the back of my throat as my body connects with the hard cabin wall. Harkin presses in tightly, leaving no room between us. It’s like he wants to crawl inside my body andfuse our two souls so we’ll never be parted again. The back of my legs connect with the wall, forcing a hiss of pain past my lips.

He immediately stops his assault, looking down at me with concerned eyes. His pupils are blown, and his lips are swelling. “Turn around, little one,” he demands.

I listen, shifting my weight to face the wall behind me and expose the injury. “It’s fine. I think it just needs to be cleaned up and bandaged.”

“Dammit, Keira. Why didn’t you say anything?” He huffs.

My shoulders pitch, and I turn back to face him. He’s calmed slightly, but there’s still a storm in his eyes, and he hasn’t even heard what had me running through the woods in the first place. If he’s had time to check the cameras, he should be well aware by now.

“Lay on the table, and let me look at this.”

“Don’t you think we should go? What about—” My question is cut short by a growl.

“Get. On. The. Table.”

“Yes, Sir,” I sass back.

“Don’t fucking test me right now, Keira.”

I know I shouldn’t; he’s worried and most likely pissed at himself for leaving me alone in a place where we’ve found a moment of calm over the last few months. He let his guard down, and the second he did, something went haywire. At this rate, I’ll be lucky if he doesn’t chain us together after this.

Lying flat on my stomach across the dusty table, I let him fuss over the cut. I hear the familiar snap of a knife being flipped open before the fabric of my leggings is cut away. I let out a deep sigh. Now, there’s no way I’m mending them.

“We’ll get you a new pair. Stop squirming,” he commands.

That happens when you spend the last three months hibernating in a remote cabin in the Colorado mountains. Oncethe snow hit, I swear it didn’t stop, and we had to rely on what was already stocked for us.

Days, weeks, and months passed with just Cinder and us. Harkin was nose down in his computer for weeks when we first arrived, trying to track my father, to no avail. He’d kept in close contact with James back in New York, who was doing the footwork there to try to put the puzzle pieces together.

We’d had a sanctuary of sorts, but with warming temperatures comes melting snow and trouble in the form of outsiders. A sharp sting has me pushing onto my forearms and looking back over my shoulder.

“Lay your ass down. Tightening the muscle is making it bleed more.”

“Stop biting my head off,” I fume under my breath. Not even a second passes before a hard smack comes down on my ass.

“You’re testing my patience right now, sweetness. Let me get you cleaned up so we can talk.”

I huff out my annoyance, but it just makes him laugh as he works to clean and bandage the wound. With the last tearing of the tape, he steps away and grabs a bottle of water from the go bag.

“Here, take a sip and wash off your hands.”

I do as I’m told, having gotten used to letting him lead the way. Something I’d never expected I’d be able to do. But he’s earned my trust time and time again. He’s slowly dismantled my walls, and I’m thriving as aweinstead of ame.

Wincing the moment my body sits upright on the table, my leg pressed against the hard surface, I jump down, letting my shoes hit the floor and lean against it instead.

“Thank you.”

He leans into me, dropping a quick kiss on my forehead, and I can’t help but inhale the smokey fresh scent that’s become his.Staying close, he leaves little room between us, waiting for me to open my eyes and regale him with the story of what happened.

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