Page 16 of The Brotherhood

She nodded and his chest tightened when her eyes filled with tears. “I know. I can see you.”

Those words gutted him as he locked his gaze on hers. “What do you see, Poppy?”

She held him tight with the power in those eyes, crippling him with dread. “I see a man who is afraid.”

His breath left him. “You see a man?” he barely whispered, getting her slow nods. “I fear…” he began, closing his eyes as he palmed the glass.

“Tell me,” she urged softly.

He threw himself into her warm powers, wrapping himself in them. “I fear…” A sudden weight crushed his chest, forcing him to struggle for air. “I fear when they remove me from this body that… I’ll get lost in that place again.”

She searched his eyes, tears falling down her face. “What place?” she whispered, her gentleness crucifying him.

“Where I went when my brothers left. A cold…crushing darkness.”

She quickly shook her head, placing her hand on the glass over his. “You won’t get lost,” she assured urgently. “I won’t let you.”

He gasped at her conviction. “How?”

“Let me show you,” she whispered with a little nod. “May I?”

He stared, clinging to the life billowing in her gaze. “Yes.”

She glanced at the door on her left. “I need to come inside.”

His pulse beat with a brutal force as he nodded, watching her hurry to the door. He faced her as she approached him with focused, determined steps, stopping close enough that she had to look up at him.

“Close your eyes,” she commanded softly.

The moment he did, her small hands caressed his face, then gently tugged. He gave himself over, eager to see this trick she would play on the universe, just for him. His breath caught in his lungs when her lips pressed at his ear. “You will be a new man,” she whispered. “And I am giving you a new name. Would you like that?”

His heart hammered in his chest with a biting ache. “Yes,” he whispered back, his body craving her.

“Your new name is Meo Eterno. It means… You are mine. Forever.” She pulled back and pressed her lips right on his, breaking him wide open. His arms went around her as he gavehimself to the gentle sweetness of her kiss, wrapping her tightly and crushing her against his body. She pulled back and pressed their cheeks together, her soft gasps filling his heart and ears. “That kiss was not a gift, but a loan,” she informed softly. “A piece of me that I fully intend to request back when this is done.” She pulled back and he reluctantly loosened his hold, staring down into her face and wiping her tears. “I am Italian, and we are very stingy people that never forget debts,” she warned with a little nod. “There is no darkness that I’m afraid of, and I will come and find you myself if I have to.”

He grabbed her face and kissed her, not caring what body he did it in. The softness of her mouth and moan unraveled every fear gnawing in his soul. “Poppy,” he finally groaned in her mouth, heaving with hunger as he pulled up, stroking her face. “When I said you would never be that kind of match to me, it’s because I willnevershare you. I would rather havenopart of you if I can’t haveeverypart of you.”

She gave him a happy laugh, nodding and swiping at his lip with her thumb. He caught her finger with his teeth, getting her excited laughter. “I’m trying to wipe the lipstick off,” she whispered, her joy shaking the foundations in him. “I don’t want to get poor Kaphas in trouble.”

He couldn’t stop the possessive growl in his chest at the idea of sharing what was all his and nobody else’s. “He deserves a little trouble, I think.”

She gave him a big laugh before putting her head on his chest and wrapping her tiny arms around him tightly. “A little,” she agreed as he returned to crushing her to his body, loathing that these miracles weren’t being imprinted on his new one.

For the first time in his memory, the eternal weight of his existence felt lighter. The dark edges of what he was—what the matrix had made him—wasn’t all he could feel.

Not even borrowed blood and bones could take the protective power raging inside him. Not instinct. Something primal and unrelenting. It wasn’t enough to keep her safe, that was too small, too fragile.

“Just remember you have to bring me back what’s mine.”

His lips twitched faintly, though his chest still ached with an unfamiliar heaviness. “I don’t make promises I can’t keep.”

Her laugh was quiet but resolute. “You had better keep this one,” she threatened softly.

Handy closed his eyes, petting her head as her courage dulled the edges of his fear. He hugged her tighter, committing her words, her touch, her warmth to memory, forging a lifeline in his soul with it.

She had given him a piece of herself that he didn’t deserve. And he would fight all of hell to make sure he returned it to her whole. With interest.

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