Page 51 of Honeythorn
Milan frowned in confusion. “What is?”
“The…how things have changed so quickly between us.”
Milan sighed. “Raphael, that’s not how the bond works. It can’t manipu—”
“No, that’s not what I mean. It’s just…it feels so different from the one I had with Jack. Even in the beginning. I didn’t realise then, but now, with you, it’sopen. I canfeel you. When you’re happy, when you’re worried—little impressions, like you don’t mind me knowing.”
Milan shrugged a little, feeling self-conscious. He was probably a reckless idiot for not having shielded his bond at all, but it was sowarm. It felt good to leave it open. Natural. “I didn’t really think about it,” Milan confessed.
Raphael laughed ruefully. “That…that’s exactly what I mean. I can tell you’re truthful. No one can lie through an open bond.”
Suddenly, a rush of fondness swept through Milan, but it wasn’t coming from him. It was coming from the bond.
Milan gasped, face flushing. He looked at Raphael, feeling pierced through by his blue eyes. “That’s…you?”
Raphael looked down. “I…I try to keep it open, but…”
“It’s ok. I understand. This feels…nice, though,” Milan admitted, embarrassed. Raphael smiled.
“I miss you too, you know,” he admitted quietly.
Milan pressed his lips together, trying not to grin. This was ridiculous. It had been only a month since he almostdiedbecause of Raphael. And yet…he was right. It was hard to think ill of someone whose intentions felt so pure through the bond.
“Well, I am very missable,” Milan said. Lord Raphael laughed.
“You are.”
That night, when the sconces were quiet and the candles out, Milan and Raphael curled towards each other on the bed. Only their hands were touching, but their warmth filled the space between them, an intimate thing.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Milan stood in front of Katerina’s front door nervously. She had accepted his request to visit her, but even her reply had been short and stiff. Milan didn’t blame her—he’d been avoiding her for nearly two months.
Milan startled a little when the door opened, surprised to see Katerina there instead of the butler. She looked down her nose at him, face cold.
“Well, look who it is. I didn’t think I’d ever seeyouagain.”
“Katerina…”
“Oh! He remembers my name! I’m sorry, I’ve quite forgotten yours.”
Milan sighed. He’d been expecting something like this. Katerina liked to make people think she was hard as stone, but she was a sensitive soul really, and Milan didn’t doubt that his sudden absence had hurt her.
“I know my behaviour has been abhorrent, but, please, let me explain. If you are still angry with me afterwards, I’ll leave right away.”
Katerina sniffed haughtily, leaving a dramatic pause even though they both knew she wouldn’t be able to resist knowing why Milan had been ignoring and refusing her for so long.
“Fine. Come in, then. No point letting the cold in.”
They settled in the same room they always sat in and were even served tea and sandwiches like always, meaning Katerina had asked the kitchen to prepare them in anticipation of Milan’s arrival. His stomach clenched. Despite having good reasons for his actions, he had not been a decent friend to her.
“Well,” Katerina said imperiously, “I believe you have some story to tell?”
“Yes.” Milan took a sip of tea, wondering where to start. He should have thought about this before. “Do you know what a neglected bond is?”
Katerina looked surprised at the question but played along. “Well—a bond that is not being taken care of, I guess.”
“Yes, but—it’s more specific than that. It happens when there is an imbalance of power, when the bond has just been created, or when the Omega depends on the Alpha but the Alpha shuts the bond down without severing it. Have you heard of that?”
