Page 63 of The High Priestess

“Jesus, Lincoln!” she cries, her features drawn tight while twin flames burn on her cheeks. “I can’t work like this. If you can’t obey my orders, then we’ll have to part ways.”

I shake my head hard. “Not happening.”

“Which part?”

“All of it.” I lower my arms and take a step closer to her. “I don’t take orders from you and will do whatever I have to to ensure you stay alive.” I take another step closer. “And I willneverlet you go.” I lean into her, my tone murderous as I hiss, “You’ll have to kill me to get rid of me.”

Her eyes are wide on me as her breaths rush over her lips, then she glances around the room. I watch as she walks a fewsteps away from me, then suddenly, she goes for the gun in her thigh-holster.

There’s more than enough time to move in and disarm her, but instead, I keep dead still as she swings around, training the weapon on me. “I’m sorry, Knight, but you don’t get to make the rules.”

I slowly stalk toward her, closing the distance between us with every step I take.

Her hand starts to tremble, and she hisses, “Stop, or I’ll shoot.”

“Pull the trigger,” I taunt her with a low growl.

You’ll be doing me a favor.

Her eyes flick between the gun and me as I press my chest against the barrel, snapping, “Do it.”

Cassia’s eyebrows draw together, and it looks like she’s a second away from crying.

I bring my arm up and wrap my hand around hers, yanking her closer and forcing the barrel to dig hard into my chest.

“Pull the fucking trigger,” I say, my tone low and deep with anger. “Because if you don’t, you agree to let me do everything in my power to keep you alive. Even if it means going against you.”

Her breaths burst over her lips, her eyes filling with tears.

I lean down until I can feel her rushed breaths on my face. “And while I’m laying down the law, you need to clearly understand that when I said I’m with you until the end, I fucking meant it.”

A tear escapes her left eye, and as it rolls down her cheek, she tries to pull the gun back, but I tighten my grip on her hand.

Her angry expression turns to worry, and she shakes her head while admitting, “I c-can’t shoot y-you.”

She places her other hand on my shoulder and tries to pull the gun away again, but she can’t free her hand from my hold.

“Link,” she gasps as more tears start to spiral over her cheeks. “Stop.”

I lift my other hand to the back of her neck and keep her in place as I press my forehead to hers. “If you plan to leave me, you better shoot me now, Cassia. It’s the only way you’ll get away from me.”

Because if she leaves, I won’t have any reason to live.

She stops fighting and stares into my eyes while her tears keep falling.

Then she surprises the fuck out of me by gripping the side of my neck with her free hand and pressing her mouth to mine.

My brain short-circuits, and as she starts to kiss me with a passion born from her anger, frustration, and pain, I stand rooted to the spot like an idiot.

When I don’t return the kiss, she yanks back and manages to free her hand from my hold. Her other hand flies up to cover her mouth while her eyes widen with embarrassment.

Only then does my mind catch up to what just happened.

Cassia kissed me.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers. She sucks in a shaky breath before she starts to ramble, “I thought you felt something for me because you keep insisting on staying with me.”

Taking in how her cheeks flame up as her embarrassment keeps growing, life returns to my body, and I close the distance between us with two steps. I grab her wrist and yank it away from her face while my other hand grips her jaw. When my mouth slams against hers, I shudder from the intense rush it sends through my veins.

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