Page 85 of Where Broken Wings Fly

“If I had any idea, I wouldn’t have told you.” I scrape a worried hand over my beard. “We didn’t know you existed, let alone that you were anything to do with Lola or Katie.”

“Lola lied to you, Kill. She’s been lying to us all.”

Tilting her head up, two bloodshot hazel eyes scour over me. She looks so desperately alone, it’s killing me to see it. Reaching out with healing fingertips, Willow briefly strokes my tangled beard before her hand falls back down.

“Please,” I beg her. “Come inside. I’m worried about you.”

“I thought you didn’t have emotions.”

“I fucking don’t.”

“Then why are you so mad right now?”

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I fight to keep my anger in check. She’s frustrating and fascinating in equal measure. All I want is to claim her as my own, every goddamn inch, but I don’t want to break her.

Willow deserves more than my worthless ass can give her. I’ve treated her with all the disdain and mistrust I could muster to conceal the truth—that I want her, as much as the other two do, even if they’re pretending otherwise.

“Kill?” she repeats.

“Just stop, Willow.”

“You can’t even answer me, can you?” she laughs bitterly.

“It’s not that.”

“Then just be honest with me for once!”

“I’m fucking angry because I care about you, alright? Because I actually like you. A lot. And I don’t want to see you in pain anymore, but I can’t seem to protect you from it.”

Locked in the icy constraints of the falling rain, neither of us makes a move. We’re trapped in the moment with no hope of rescue. It’s too late to turn back now. I’ve already dived off the cliff’s edge to my imminent death.

“What are you doing out here?” I quickly change the topic.

“I needed some space,” she admits, still looking shell-shocked at my words. “Arianna has questions, and I have no answers right now. I’m more confused than ever.”

Holding out a hand, calloused palm up in invitation, I wait for this beautiful creature to put her trust in me. Even if I should turf her back out on the street and crush these stupid feelings to keep my family safe from harm.

I know something happened with Micah. Zach too. He’s been bouncing on cloud fucking nine for days and I’m not blind. They’ve both been acting weird since she came barrelling into our lives.

That’s saying a lot, considering Micah’s another species altogether on his good days and Zach has the energy of a fucking puppy in need of constant attention. Willow is bad news for all of us.

But it doesn’t stop me from wanting to devour her with every fibre of my being. I’ve thought of nothing else ever since the day she agreed to stay in town, daring to smile and accept our offer of a real family and home.

That night sparked something inside me that I didn’t know existed and can’t turn off again. I’ve never had a real relationship. Women have come and gone out of my life without giving a flying fuck, and I was more than happy with that.

“Please come inside.”

“We don’t have to talk?” she asks.

“I’m not your damn therapist. You want a wet blanket to cry on, then you’re looking at the wrong man. Need me to shoot a motherfucker, or skin a dead deer, I’m all over it.”

I try to keep my voice cold to conceal my desperation for answers, but I know it’s futile at this point. The breathtaking smile that blossoms across her lips nearly destroys my self-control. She sees me. Fuck, it feels too good.

“Noted. No crying or talking.”

“Good.” I gesture for her to take my hand. “Let’s go find the liquor.”

Willow finally accepts. “I’ll take a double.”

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