Page 214 of Rain of Shadows and Endings

She was hoping he’d been right.

She was hoping if she’d let this happen, given into this bond, nothing else would matter. That’s what he kept telling her, right? That once she gave into the bond, she wouldn’t want anything else. Only this. Only him. That all her problems would go away. She could just exist without having to think or feel. She could just be and not care about anything.

Instead, a tear was tracking down her cheek as she felt his breathing become deep and steady. He may have been wrong about that, but he’d been right about so many other things he’d said to her tonight.

It’s a little bit of hope you’re too afraid to cling to, so you let yourself sink instead.

A lot of good hope did.

Not when all this had done was prove her fears right. Her power was valuable to him. Not her.

That’s all she could think as she cautiously uncurled her fingers that were still clenched tightly around the blankets.

She slowly lifted a hand to find light glowing in her palm.

Never her.

Only what she could give.

* * *

When she blinked heavy eyes open the next morning, she had shifted in her sleep. Her head was on Theon’s chest, her fingers resting atop the fine hair below his navel. Both were still naked from the night before. Thankfully, her power had waned. She wasn’t sure how she would ever learn to control that.

His fingers were toying with her hair, and when she glanced up, he was awake, his phone in his other hand. He either hadn’t realized she’d woken, or he was pretending he didn’t know, trying to savor the moment of peace.

There was a soft knock on the door, and she tensed on instinct. He didn’t acknowledge it, only called out, “Come in.”

Pen came through the door, a tray of coffee, pastries, and fruit in her hands, and Tessa felt her cheeks heat as she buried her nose in Theon’s chest.

“Thank you, Pen,” he said quietly.

“Of course, Theon,” she said. “Axel already left on his run.”

“I’m aware. He sent me a message.”

“Do you need anything else?”

“No. We’re fine.”

Tessa didn’t peek out from his chest until she heard the door click shut.

“You should have warned me,” Tessa said, her voice hoarse from sleep.

“Warned you about Pen?” Theon asked, his hand back in her hair.

“Yes. She doesn’t need to see us like…this.” When Theon didn’t answer, she peeked up at him again. He was back to his phone, pointedly not looking at her. She sighed. “It’s not the first time she’s brought you breakfast with a female in your bed, is it?”

“No.”

Something twisted in her stomach at his answer, and she had no idea why. But the bond stirred to life, also not liking the idea of someone else being in his bed.

Which was just great.

Not only had she not accepted this fucking bond after sex, but now she was godsdamn jealous of females she didn’t even know.

The sound of Theon setting his phone aside had her looking up at him again as he gently extracted himself from her. She meant to ask where he was going, but the words caught in her suddenly dry mouth when she found her gaze fixed firmly on his perfect ass and, gods, those thighs.

She watched as he bent to grab two mugs of coffee, quickly turning away when he started to turn back towards her. His dark laugh skittered along her spine, and she pulled the covers over her head.

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