Page 191 of Dawn of Chaos and Fury
Tipping her head back against the wall, she gave him a small smile.
Brushing his lips over hers once more, he took her hand and tugged her to him. “Send Luka a message, kitten. Let’s get you home.”
But her brows pinched, a hand going to her stomach.
Axel immediately tensed. “What’s wrong?”
“It seemed too easy tonight, right?”
“Nothing about that was easy,” he said.
“I think I just thought…” She shook her head, giving him a too bright smile. “I’m sure it’s nothing. Let’s go home.”
But he was still thinking about her words hours later as she slept beside him.
It seemed too easy.
35
TESSA
Tessa lurched as her earbuds were plucked from her ears, spilling coffee down the front of her shirt.
“Up,” Theon said, taking the coffee mug from her.
“Gods, Theon, could you be any more annoying right now?” she grumbled, getting to her feet. She’d known he was down here. She’d seen him walk into the kitchen, and even if she hadn’t, their bond knew. Content to an extent but also wanting.
“You’re in a mood this morning,” he retorted with a hint of amusement.
“How do we even know it’s morning?” she muttered. “There’s no sun here.”
But that wasn’t the only reason she was in a mood. She was growing incredibly restless in the Underground. She needed fresh air and to see Nylah and Roan. Needed to see the godsdamn sky.
But she alsoneeded.
True to their words, neither Theon nor Luka had touched her since Brecken’s death.
No. That wasn’t true.
They’d touched her. They’d held her and comforted her. Pulled her close and draped limbs over her in sleep. But there had been no sex.
And someone had removed all the alcohol from the penthouse.
And Tristyn was avoiding her because she would absolutely bribe him for some lull-leaf.
So yeah, she was in a fucking mood.
But…
While she would never admit it to them, she felt freer in a way. She’d taken a lot of freedoms for her own these past months. She’d left Theon and chosen her path back to him. She’d made choices and faced the consequences. She’d given Luka freedom, allowing him the choice to come back to her. She’d chosen her own destiny and purpose rather than what everyone else had told her she should be. Salvation over destruction, and in some cases, destruction over salvation. Her future was hers and hers alone.
But she’d also chosen to let herself love and be loved, and that had opened a door to something she hadn’t expected. Other…emotions. Feelings she didn’t know what to do with. She’d been just as trapped by emotions her entire life. Forced to shove them down to avoid punishment by Cordelia. Then forced to hide them because it meant unwanted attention. Until eventually, it had become second nature. It was easier to be nothing when you felt nothing.
Until she’d started letting herself love.
Then Luka and Theon had taken it upon themselves to make sure she learned how to feel every godsdamn thing.
She hated them for it.
