Page 106 of Dawn of Chaos and Fury
Her lips pursed, and he gave her a minute to process everything.
Finally she said, “I don’t like her.”
A huff of laughter burst from him. “I gathered that, little storm.”
She nodded again, rubbing her fingertips together at her sides. Then her eyes snapped back to his once more. “You left me behind. Youleftme.”
“I stand by what I said. I would let a realm become nothing but rubble for you. Let the Fates destroy every living, breathing thing in this world if it meant you could live. I do what must be done and have no regrets,” he replied, taking a single step towards her. His head tilted as he studied her. “But you didn’t leave. Why?”
“Because you are his family,” she answered, that sharp tone faltering at the words.
“Luka?”
She visibly flinched at the name, but she nodded. “He doesn’t want me, Theon. He wants you and Axel. His family. So I…”
“You what?”
“I wanted to save you for him. Then I will leave, and maybe the two of you can save Devram from itself,” she said in a rush.
He tsked, taking another step closer. “Do you really think I will not follow you?”
“You weren’t going to,” she retorted, that anger flaring once more. “You sent me away like I was no?—”
“Don’t you dare say that,” Theon interjected, his own fury flaring just as hot. “Do not imply that you are nothing to me when you areeverything. I will do whatever is necessary to ensure you are safe. That you are protected. And if that means Ihave to send you to another realm with a dragon, that’s what I will do. As long as you are free and happy?—”
“But we won’t be happy without you!” she cried. “You always think you know what’s best for everyone. Me. Luka. Axel. But we get choices, Theon! You don’t just get todecidewhat makes us happy. You don’t get todecidewhere I go, what I do. And you sure as fuck don’t get to tell me to leave the fucking realm when you’ve made me lo?—”
Her mouth snapped shut, eyes darting to the side, but there would be none of that. They were back in the place where they thrived. A push and pull. A constant battle. Uncensored words and heated actions.
“Don’t go quiet now, Tessa,” he purred, prowling forward and closing the distance between them. He took her chin between this thumb and forefinger, tilting her face up and forcing her to look at him. A stuttered breath fell from her lips, frustrated tears pooling in endless depths of violet while her power swirled among it all, trapped and unable to do anything more.
His other hand came up, fingertips running along the planes of her face. Her brow. The bridge of her nose. Tracing her upper lip.
“Say it,” he said, a low command.
She tried to turn away, tried to free herself from his hold, but he held firm. Not now. Not this time.
“Say it,” he growled again.
She swallowed thickly, one frustrated tear spilling over. It trailed down her cheek, and before he could stop himself, he pitched forward, catching that salty drop with the tip of his tongue and tracing its path. He heard the pained sound she tried to swallow down, and his lips brushed her flesh as he dragged his mouth to her ear.
“Say it,” he whispered, the words low and dark and full of sinful promises. One finger found the hollow of her throat, dragging down between her breasts, along her stomach, lower. “Say it, and I will give you everything you want, clever tempest.”
“Yours,” she gasped out, her head tipping back with the single word. “I’m yours. Every piece of me. As much as I am his.”
“That’s right, you are,” he growled, another gasp escaping her as he gathered her roughly into his arms.
“Theon!” she cried in outrage, but he wasn’t waiting, making his way to a bedroom. The main bedroom. A spare bedroom. He didn’t particularly care.
She’d finally said it. Those words he’d begged for. Longed to hear from her lips, and gods, he was glad she’d never lied about it. Never said them to appease him. Because her saying them when she meant them?
If he hadn’t been irrevocably hers already, that would have done him in. He’d drop to his knees for her. Crawl for her. He’d give up his kingdom, this world, his very soul for her. And he needed her to understand, needed her to realize all of that.
For all the roughness of moments ago, he lowered her gently to the edge of the bed, leaning over her. His brow pressed to hers, just like in her dreams, and she lifted a trembling hand, sliding her fingers into his hair.
“You said it. In my dreams. But I need to know?—”
“Yours, Tessa. Only and solely yours. You never need to question it,” he said before his lips found hers. He tried to keep it soft and gentle, but that wasn’t them. It never had been.
