Page 96 of Wolf Roulette

Sascha was in front of me in the next second. “Aren’t youafraid? Areyouterrified of tomorrow? Any damn second you could be stolen away.” His ragged breath washed over me for a second before he spun and upended the desk and monitors.

I winced at the ear-splitting crash as everything smashed to the floor.

Sascha rested his hands against the wall, panting hard. With every harsh exhale, my chest tightened more.

“Sorry,” he grunted.

Walking to him, I rested a hand on his back.

He slammed me against the wall so fast, I nearly lost my footing. I stared up into black eyes.

“Tell me what you feel,” Greyson demanded.

This wasn’t how things worked.

He was right. I was scared of tomorrow too. My grip on him was so fucking fragile and getting weaker every day.

My breath hitched. “I don’t want to say these words while things are like this.”

Black receded to show honey again.

“Please tell me, beautiful wolf,” Sascha said low, his neck muscles taut. “I need something to hold to right now.”

He didn’t understand. “If I tell you and we end up not having a future, I—"

Sascha rested his forehead on mine. “Forget you’re as afraid as I am. Pretend for a little while.”

He caressed my neck with his free hand, and the power play undid the last of my restraint.

Fresh tears slipped from the corner of my eyes as our gazes locked. “I love you, Sascha. Is that what you want to hear?”

Joy filled him, but I shoved Sascha away to escape the cage of his arms. I paced in the office. Restless energy filled me. I pivoted sharply with each turn, trying to shake off the trapped feeling to no avail.

That was it.

There was no coming back.

“Little bird, come here.”

“No,” I spat.

Sascha hooked me around the waist and yanked me to him.

“Let go,” I hissed.

He leaned forward and kissed my trembling bottom lip. “Mate.I’m honoured.”

“It just means we’re both fucked.”

This man had no survival instincts. Of all the moments to grin, now wasn’t the time.

“You love me, and I love you,” he said. “What could be more powerful than that?”

So many things. “Unless you come to the table to negotiate a different outcome for the game, what happens will be more powerful. Whether I win outright, or you win outright, there’s no victory for us. Don’t you see?”

He shook his head. “I can understand your fear, but I don’t agree.”

And maybe he was right. But I couldn’t take that risk. And Sascha wasn’t willing to take a risk for peace.

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