Page 41 of Bound By Blood
She shook her head. No. No. She should have stopped it sooner. Should have found some way to stop all of this.
"My point is…" He brushed the tips of his fingers along her arm and hand. "I do love you."
"Ryul, you shouldn't."
"Why?" He shook his head, his expression bewildered as he circled around the counter. "Why shouldn't I? Even if you killed someone—"
"You deserve better than me. All right? When I was a girl, I was very selfish, and I did about the worst thing I could to my family outside of directly selling or murdering them. Let's leave it at that."
He frowned. "What? I thought you didn't remember. I don't understand." He shook his head. "But I don't have to. You don't have to tell me about anything you don't want to, unless you're planning on killing me. Or something like that. Whatever happened when you were a girl, well, you're not a girl anymore. No matter what you have done—"
"It would not be wise for you to trust me. Hasn't anyone told you that humans are capricious and dangerous?"
"All sentients are, and all make mistakes. I don't care what you've done, Erryn. You don't have to tell me about your past. You don't have to talk about it at all. We all have our secrets, and I'm not judging you on who you were. I am judging you based on what I have seen and know of you. Of all these things. That you were willing to risk your life for Buttons."
She scoffed. "I don't think that's—"
"Nothing is really guaranteed, is it, Erryn?" He caught hold of her and pulled her near. "But I am willing to take a chance on you. I will bet my life on you."
She closed her eyes but did not move away. Her breaths dragged free, shallow and ragged.
He stroked a knuckle from her temple to her chin. "Does clinging to this provide any chance for the past you abhor to be fixed?"
"Nothing can be done to fix it."
"Then don't stay with it. Come with me. Let's make the future better." He nuzzled her, lingering against her cheek. "Just because you made a mistake doesn't mean you have to stay with it forever. I know it's dangerous to fall in love with a blood fae, but I swear to you that this I know: I won't hurt you. Ever. And I accept you. I don't need you to be someone else. I just need you to be you, and that you includes who you were before."
She leaned against him, savoring the warmth. His lips brushed her cheek and then trailed to the corner of her mouth. She stilled, holding her breath.
Was he going to—
His lips brushed hers then.
Her heart pounded faster, her eyes fluttering shut as she melted into the kiss.
It wasn't her first kiss. Not in any sense. But none had swept her away like this.
He savored her, his lips soft and gentle as he slipped one hand up her back. Then his tongue pressed to her lips, nudging them open. She moaned softly into his mouth. That was it.
He seized her, arms wrapping tight around her and pulling her hard against him. His hands gripped her hips, his fingers digging in just enough to make her gasp as he deepened the kiss even more.
Her hands traveled along his powerful chest, feeling the hard muscles beneath his thin sleeveless tunic. His heat radiated into her, intensifying the passion that coursed through her veins. She moaned again. Her entire body had come alive at his touch. Her head spun. She was drowning in his arms, and she never wanted to break free.
Except—polph!
She thrust her hands against his chest and leaned back. "Wait." She gasped. Her hands shaking, she pulled free. She had to get this out before she lost her nerve. "You don't understand."
"Don't understand what?" He steadied himself, blinking. "You want to stop? We can stop," he said reluctantly, his hand sliding to her arm. "This is—what do you need? Just tell me. Whatever you need—anything."
She held her hands up. Part of her wanted to just disappear back into his arms, to hide in his embrace and disappear into those kisses and more. But it wasn't right.
"I need to tell you something. I lied to you before. I do know what happened! I betrayed my family. They are gone because of me!"
She pulled back, her voice tight with tears. A few trickled down her cheeks as she tried to choke them back. In all the years since it had happened, she'd stuffed the story deep inside her.
He tilted his head, his brow furrowed.
The way he looked at her now—he wouldn't look at her like that any longer once he knew the truth. That was why she had to tell him. This had to end. There was no way around it.
