Page 73 of A Hunger Soft and Wild

I grit my teeth at the way she says it, the implication curling around her words like smoke.

Selis doesn’t stop moving until she’s close—too close. I smell the leather and steel on her, the faint hint of ale clinging to her breath. I don’t back away. I won’t give her the satisfaction.

Her lips curve. “You think she’s yours, don’t you?”

I go still. A flicker of heat—not from embarrassment, but from fury—ignites in my chest.

She laughs, low and knowing. “I’ve seen that look before. The way you stiffened up when I found you two roughing it south of here. The way you’re looking at me now. You don’t just want to survive—you want to keep her. Like she’s some prize you’ve got your bloodsucker claws in.”

I keep my voice steady, controlled. “You don’t know anything about me.”

Selis leans in, voice dropping to something almost conspiratorial. “I know Roan. And trust me, sweetheart, she doesn’t—”

I don’t let her finish.

I move fast—faster than she expects. My foot hooks around hers as I shove forward, sending her off balance. At the same time, I grab her wrist, twisting it behind her back with a strength that shocks even me. She hisses, cursing as she stumbles forward, her knee hitting the rickety table with a thud.

For a heartbeat, she freezes.

Then, to my utter confusion, she lets out a short, sharp laugh.

“Well, shit,” she breathes, panting slightly. “That’s a Roan move.”

I tighten my grip, jaw clenched. “She’s been teaching me.”

“No kidding.” Selis shifts her weight, testing my hold. I don’t let up.

“Tell me something, sweetheart,” she drawls, voice laced with something that makes my stomach tighten—not fear, but something colder, something that makes me want to bare my teeth. “What do you think she sees in you?”

I stiffen.

Selis smirks, reading me too easily. “She’s got a type, you know. The desperate ones. The ones who need saving.” She tilts her head just enough to look up at me properly, eyes gleaming. “She plays the hero well enough, but she never sticks around, not really. Must be nice thinking you’re different.”

My grip falters. Just for a second.

That’s all she needs.

With a sharp twist, she wrenches free, slamming her elbow into my ribs as she flips our positions. The impact knocks the breath from my lungs, and before I can recover, she’s the one pinning me down, her knee pressing just enough into my stomach to keep me still.

“Too easy,” she murmurs, clicking her tongue.

I buck against her hold, but she’s already leaning in, breath warm against my cheek. “You’re sloppy,” she says, faux sympathy dripping from every syllable. “Should’ve known you’d fall for it. But hey, don’t feel too bad—you’re not the first to underestimate me.”

I bare my fangs. “You cheated.”

She snickers, pressing a little more weight onto me. “And? Thought Roan was teaching you how to fight dirty?”

My muscles tense, but I force myself to stay still. Fighting head-on won’t work. She’s stronger than me. I need another angle.

Selis lets out a slow, pleased breath. “Shame you’re worth more alive.”

My pulse stutters.

She grins down at me, enjoying this. “Took me all of five minutes to figure out which room you were in.”

I glare up at her, fury burning beneath my skin. “You followed Roan.”

“Watched her leave, actually,” she corrects, lazy and smug. “Figured she’d be back soon, but I was too curious to pass up a peek inside. And look what I found.” She taps my chin with a finger, like I’m some amusement. “Roan’s little pet.”

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