Page 136 of Celestial Combat

He stepped closer, jaw clenched. “You think this is about control?”

“It always is with you.Control. Discipline.”

I started to walk past him – brushing his shoulder like none of this mattered – but before I could take another step, his palm hit the wall beside me with a loudcrack.

I flinched.

He caged me in, one hand pressed to the wall, the other gripping the back of the kitchen chair behind me. His body was close – too close – and his eyes locked to mine with heat and frustration burning through them.

“I’m not gonna keep watching you throw yourself into danger and pretend it doesn’t tear me apart.”

I turned my head slowly, staring at his open hand against the wall.

But when I looked back at him, disappointment swelled in my chest like smoke curling behind my ribs.

“You want me to be someone I’m not,” I said quietly, voice low but firm.

His jaw flexed, eyes locked on mine, unreadable.

“This is who I am. I would risk my life to keep the people I love safe. I fight for my family and friends. You can’t change that about me.” The words pushed out of me, sharp-edged and hot. “And if you can’t accept that – that I was born and raisedin a dangerous world; that I still am part of this world; and that I am dangerous too…” I shook my head, breath hitching, “Then maybe you and I shouldn’t be together.”

His jaw tightened like he was going to say something, but nothing came out. He just stood there – breathing hard, looking at me like I was both the problem and the answer.

And even though I wanted to pull him closer, I needed my peace more.

I’d said what I had to say.

This was me.

Ducking under his hand, I walked away. I took the stairs two at a time, the echo of my steps sharp in the stillness of the loft. My chest was tight, my pulse loud in my ears. I didn’t stop until I was in the bedroom, phone in hand, curled up on top of the comforter with my knees to my chest. I stared blankly at it – pretending to scroll and trying not to cry.

The sound of the footsteps reached me through the open space.

Zane stood in the entryway of the bedroom, eyes shadowed, shoulders broad and heavy with tension. He rubbed a hand over his face, dragging it down to his jaw.

“I didn’t mean to upset you.”

I didn’t look up from my phone. “Mhm.”

My voice was numb. But my heart was anything but.

I sat down slowly on the edge of the bed, at her feet. The mattress dipped under my weight, but Kali didn’t look at me.Her knees were still pulled to her chest like a shield, her gaze fixed on her phone.

“I’m trying to keep you safe, Kali,” I said, my voice low, throat tight. “I’m not trying to hurt you on purpose.”

“Right.” Her tone cut sharp. “That’s why you hit the wall next to me.”

She turned away from me, and that’s when I saw two tears slide down her cheek. Silent. Frustrated.

I felt each one like a bullet to the chest.

“That’s not what–” I stopped myself.

No excuses.

I leaned forward and dropped my forehead against her knee, grounding myself against her like I always did when I didn’t know how else to say I was sorry. My palm found her leg, holding it gently, thumb dragging slow over her smooth skin.

“Fuck, ma. I did slam my hand against the wall to block your way,” I murmured, “But I didn’t mean to make you think I’d hit you. I would never do that. I swear.”

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