Page 108 of His Darkest Desire

But Kinsley stepped away from him, shaking her head. “I can’t give you what you need.”

Vex moved as though to follow her, only to halt abruptly and lower his arm. His jaw muscles bulged. “I do not understand.”

More of Kinsley’s tears fell, and her next words felt like glass shredding her throat. “I lied. That night that you saved me.”

“What do you mean?”

Her lower lip trembled. “I didn’t understand what you were asking. I…I was dying, and desperate, and I just agreed. And I…”

His brows lowered. “You what?”

Kinsley’s reply came out in a broken cry. “I can’t have children!”

He stared at her, his face an unreadable mask, his eyes devoid of emotion.

“I can’t.” She took in a deep, shuddering breath. “I tried and tried and tried, and it nearly killed me. So I… I chose to prevent myself from getting pregnant again.”

When Vex remained silent, the pain inside Kinsley’s heart unfurled, spreading its thorny vines through her chest. Why wasn’t he yelling at her? Raging at her? Why wasn’t he doing anything? Somehow, that would’ve been easier to face than his silence.

“I didn’t know, Vex. I swear, I didn’t know this was how you broke the curse. And I-I thought if I told you…”

“That I would kill you.” His voice was so low, so flat, that she barely heard it.

“Yes,” Kinsley whispered.

Something flickered across his features. A shadow—darkness, pain, betrayal? She couldn’t tell, and that only intensified her agony.

He turned away from her and strode toward the door. “Remain here.”

Kinsley took a step to follow him. “Vex…”

“I said remain here!” he roared, twisting toward her.

Kinsley flinched. Green magic flared around his hands and blazed up his forearms, and his fingers were curled, claws on full display. A furious light smoldered in his eyes.

They stared at one another. A new crack formed in Kinsley’s heart with each passing moment.

Then he tore his gaze away from her and stalked to the door. With licks of magic trailing behind him, he cast the door open, stormed across the threshold, and slammed it shut. The entire cottage shook with the thunderous bang.

Kinsley’s legs gave out, and she crumpled to the floor. She trembled in the bedroom’s deafening quiet until it was broken by a new sound—the anguished wail that clawed its way up from her chest as her heart shattered.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Vex’s fists trembled at his sides as he stalked away from the bedchamber. A maelstrom swirled in his chest, massive, catastrophic, violent. It churned with raw emotion—bitterness, despair, sorrow, hopelessness. But coiled throughout was fury, its scalding barbs sunken deep, its molten heat fueling the fire in his gut.

Shadows crept in at the edges of his vision, snaking along the walls, floor, and ceiling in his wake.

I am your darkness. Your cloak, your protection.

I can’t have children!

The flames inside Vex roared. He gritted his teeth against the pressure. His rage hungered for violence, for destruction.

For catharsis.

And I-I thought if I told you…

That I would kill you.

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