Page 143 of Sapphire Flame
When Kryder had made it clear his goal now was to take possession of Natalie, to make use of her giftedness in commandeering the future, the awful scales had fallen from his eyes. He’d needed Natalie. She’d been instrumental from the beginning. Why had he suddenly behaved as though she had no value on any front?
He considered himself a rational man. But in this situation, he’d behaved irrationally. If for no other reason than the safety of his own hide, he should have kept her close. The question was why he’d reacted as he had? Why had he let her go without a second thought, without even once considering that the loss of her presence and her unique abilities could jeopardize the entire pack?
As blood dripped onto the stone floor beneath him, the truth became a glowing fire within his chest. His damn throat grew tight. Everything became clear in a sudden blaze of light. When he’d left the bed and moved away from the comfort and warmth of her body, he’d been afraid to acknowledge how he felt about her. She’d become the sun in his sunless world and he was as bound to her as though he’d completed the wolf-bond.
For so long, he’d lived without a woman in his life. He’d told himself the pack must come first. But the reality was simpler: He feared loving and losing another woman the way he’d loved and lost Renee.
With all his heart and in such a short space of time, he’d fallen in love with Natalie, deeply and irrevocably.
He also didn’t think he could have picked a worse time to have figured it out. He wanted nothing more than to reach out to Natalie and draw her back into his world. But the moment he did, he would put her in serious jeopardy. So, he remained silent though he was filled with a longing so profound he could hardly breathe.
Now it was too late. He was hanging in chains in the dungeon of The Sapphire Club. He couldn’t risk contacting Ryan, either. If he did, the pack would come after him and many if not all would die in the attempt to extract him from Kryder’s hidden place of business.
The question was, what could he do? How did he need to change his view of things if he hoped to survive?
Grant?
A lightning bolt of adrenaline flashed through his veins. Natalie. She’d reached out to him, but he couldn’t answer. He didn’t dare. He wouldn’t risk her life.
She kept talking.I can sense you’re there but you’re not responding, so I’m going to share a couple of things. I made a mistake not challenging you after you left your rooms earlier tonight. I knew you’d shut a door. Truth? I wasn’t much different. I’ve been scared out of my mind to know love again, because the pain of losing Aaron and Grace had torn my heart to shreds.
But I don’t want to live that way anymore. I don’t think you do either. We need each other in this Godforsaken world. I need you, Grant, and those are the hardest words I’ve ever said in my life. I need you. I need to sleep beside you during the day and work beside you at night. I don’t want to live my empty, work-driven life anymore. I want you, a life with you, whatever that needs to look like. So, what do you say?
Salty tears burned Grant’s eyes then ran down his cheeks. Every word spoke to the deepest place of his heart, the place he’d shut down for six long years. His chest rose and fell. Still, he couldn’t respond. He wouldn’t risk it.
Grant, I know Kryder has you and that you’re chained up. Please let me help. Together, we can do this. Without each other, isn’t it possible we both die?
Her words disrupted his thinking like a poker to a burned-down fire. Flames of new thought erupted. If he didn’t make it out of this dungeon, what would happen to Natalie?
The answer was simple: Kryder would find some way to get to her, even if she never left Agnes’s compound. He’d wanted her from the beginning. He’d already stated his purpose of one day, no matter what it took, possessing her.
A nearby scream intruded. A woman was being hurt in the next room. He heard the woman say, “I’ve lost him. I can’t see him. You have to believe me, Alpha Kryder.”
“You need another boost of sapphire flame.” Muffled orders followed.
“No, please don’t. I’ll try without it. I will. I’ll try hard.”
“Too late.”
A moan followed. Grant suspected the woman in the next room was the fae Kryder used to keep tabs on him and on Natalie in the future.
If Natalie was here, he knew exactly what she’d say. She’d move heaven and earth to get the woman out of Kryder’s hellhole.
Though his lips were torn and bleeding, a smile began to form. He didn’t give a shit about the pain. Joy had started flooding his heart and sending streams of feel-good everywhere.
His woman was game, courageous and big-hearted. She would never say die, never give up, never stop until her fae sister was safe in Kiara’s refuge. She shared his mind, how he viewed his role in their world, what he believed should be done to set things right in Five Bridges.
She was the woman for him.
Grant reached out to Natalie and felt a rush of relief flowing toward him.Hey, beautiful. I’m here. I was a fool to let you go as I did. I pretended I was worried for your safety. But the truth was I was scared out of my mind of loving you with the strong possibility I could lose you.
But I do love you, with all my heart, with every ripped up, torn up, uneven part of my being. Will you have me, my beautiful fae? Will you marry me?
He heard a telepathic gasp, then a chuckle.Hell, yeah, I will. Now how about you build a dreamglide and get your ass over to my studio.
He glanced down at the cuts, bruises and seeping wounds.I look like hell.
Just come because I’ve got a plan.
