Page 116 of Of Sins and Sacrifice

If he so wished, he could easily have his way with me. If he so wished, he could ruin me. And to my great dismay, I might even…let him.

“Two months. But it betternotinterfere with our mission.”

“Of course not, tiny darling.”

“But I willnotcall you mine.”

“Yet.”

He leans forward and lays his lips on my forehead, lingering for two seconds before rolling entirely off me. He lands on his back next to me, and though I expect he must be cold dressed only in his underwear, he doesn’t make any attempt to gather his clothes and dress. He lies there, next to me. His hand reaches out tentatively for my own, threading his fingers through mine.

“Don’t push your luck,” I grumble. I make no attempt to remove my hand from his. It’s…comfortable.

“Fine, fine.” He sighs.

Now it’s my turn to smile.

“You have given me a nickname. Perhaps it’s only fair I do the same to you.”

He bristles. “What? Luc? Luke?” He rolls his eyes.

I scrunch my nose in distaste. “I don’t like that.”

“Welcome to the club. I happen to hate my name, too.”

“Why?”

He grimaces. “Let’s say I have bad memories with the nameLucien.”

“That is odd,” I note. “Is that why you did not want me to call you that way?”

He nods.

“What about Vitry?”

“Vitry is fine, but it’s so…impersonal. Everyone calls me Vitry. And you’re not everyone.” His head turns to the side, and though our hands are linked together, the moment his gaze collides with mine, an unusual warmth washes over me.

“Youractualmiddle name is Valerìon, no?”

He stares at me, wide-eyed. “How did you find that out?”

“The same way I found out your middle name isn’tMine.”

He nods, though he doesn’t seem very pleased about it.

“I am surprised you don’t go by that name. It is a very fine name,” I add reluctantly.

“Is it?” he asks slowly, carefully.

“One of the greatest Aperite Supremes went by the name of Valerìon. It is a highly regarded name in Aperion.”

He grunts.

“I can call you tha?—”

“No,” he interrupts me. “Only my parents call me by that name.”

I frown and await further clarification, but he doesn’t seem inclined to explain himself.

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