Page 86 of Wrath
Panting, Wyatt dropped the dead arm, kneeled down beside Dimitri and raised his fist, aiming for his face.
“No!” Misha shouted.
Wyatt stopped, drawing back confused.
“Don’t kill him.”
“Why? After all he’s done.”
“I—I think he’s my half-brother. I know he’s insane. I know he’s been ruining my life for years, but… I can’t. I just can’t bring myself to be the one responsible for his death.”
“Fine.” Wyatt stood up. “But I’m not leaving him like this. He has to pay for his crimes. He’s—” Wyatt suddenly clammed up. His eyes dropped to her outfit, lowered to her stomach, and then lifted to meet her gaze. He stilled.
Everything stilled.
In that moment, Misha knew why. Alek must have said something about her earlier confession. She held her breath. This was it. The truth would come out.
“Is it true?” he croaked.
“I think so. I don’t know. Maybe.”
“Why did you leave?”
“Because I don’t want to be a burden. My problems shouldn’t be your problems.”
“You’re calling this child a problem?” The whites of Wyatt’s eyes showed as he gestured toward her stomach.
“No. That’s not what I’m saying. I’m not even sure if I am, but—” She sighed deeply. “It was wrong of me to leave like that. I’m sorry. I just heard you fighting with your family. You’re needed by the people of this city. Parker was right. There are priorities, and you’d only just reconciled with your family. I didn’t want to be—”
Wyatt was upon her in an instant, bright blue eyes imploring. “You are not a burden.”
She tried to talk, but nothing came out.
He shook her gently. “Christ. Don’t make me say it again.”
But she couldn’t face him.
“Misha Minksi, you’re not a burden. You’re a joy. Before I met you I was in a dark place. A broken man. I never thought I would be able to trust another person again, let alone a woman. But there you were, crashing into my bed.” A small smile danced on his lips. “You challenge me, and you lift me up. You gave me a voice… got me to control my anger. I can’t live without you, baby or not.”
“Wyatt… I…”
“No. I mean it. And helping you and your family is an honor. I will guard them with my life. My family might have other priorities, but I don’t. You’re it for me, and believe me, Evan and Griffin would do the same for their mates, so… you come first.”
She choked on a sob.
“You don’t have to say anything. I’m not expecting you to feel the same way. I know I’m different, and to expect you to love me back right now is impossible. It’s all kinds of fucked up. One of the things I like about you, Misha, is that you turn any dark situation into a positive.” He grinned. “And you don’t give a flying fuck what anyone else thinks of you.” He took a breath, lashes lowering to her stomach once more. When he lifted his yearning gaze, Misha’s heart squeezed. “I know I’m this cursing, short-fused idiot with no job and nothing else to offer the world but his fists—”
“Shut up.”
Startled, his jaw clicked closed.
Tears fell from her eyes now, but it all came through a smile. “Youarean idiot.”
“I am?”
“Yes, because I do love you.” She cupped his stubbly jaw and lifted her lips to his, kissing him gently. Her fingers trailed his scratchy jaw, thick with uncut stubble. It made him so darkly attractive that she was already forgetting the words that had come to her mind. “You are so much more than your sin. You’re loyal, strong, sexy, and when you fall, you go all in. I love that about you.”
He buried his face into her neck and held her so tight she thought she might explode.
