Page 135 of Taming Seraphine

“Why?”

“I grew up without a permanent father figure, and my trainer stepped into the role the moment he cleaned up my dying stepfather and moved me into his home.”

She hums. “Sounds nice.”

Inhaling deeply, I push past my unease. “He was tough, but exactly what I needed at that stage of my life.”

Seraphine shifts on my lap, so we’re sitting face to face with her straddling my legs. My heart sinks, and all traces of my erection vanish. Wet streaks mar the blood smeared on her cheeks. She looks like she’s been crying.

I straighten, my face a mask of composure. “What those people did to you was unforgivable,” I say, my voice thickening. “But I swear, every one of them that’s still alive will suffer.”

Guilt strikes my heart at the thought of killing Anton, even if he was responsible for the corruption of an innocent young girl. I have so many fond memories of the man and not just from our early days.

Every few months, I take Miko to his place by the lake for a few days of fishing and relaxation. It’s a cruel discovery that the man who taught Miko to light a campfire also taught Seraphine to kill.

I clench my jaw, steel my emotions, and focus on how desperately I need to protect Seraphine.

Her eyes soften, and she nods. “We need to find Samson before he gets to Gabriel.”

At the change in subject, my chest loosens with relief, and I’m finally able to offer her a smile. “Along the way, we’ll gather up the other two guards on your list.

She nods. “Can I sleep in your bed tonight?”

“Of course.”

She lowers her eyes and curls in on herself. “There’s one more thing I need to ask.”

“Anything.”

“When you’re hunting those men, don’t leave me behind.” Her lips tighten. “I know you called me impulsive, but I’m trying. Sometimes, I keep things so bottled up that I don’t know something is wrong until I explode.”

My throat constricts, and I can only nod. “Does that explain why you bolted out of the car when you saw Pietro Fiore outside, washing his car?”

“He knew I was being forced under the threat of the chip. He knew and said nothing. Did nothing. Acted like it was all part of the job,” she says, her voice bitter.

“Is there anyone else you want to kill?”

She tilts her head, her lips curving into a smile.

“Anyone apart from me?”

I squeeze her around the middle, making her double over and squeal. Warmth spreads across my chest at the sound of her girlish laughter, and my nose fills with her strawberry scent. Who would have thought Seraphine was ticklish?

“Maybe Anton,” she says.

Instantly, a lump forms in my gut, dread pooling in its place as I think of what Anton might have done to Seraphine. “Did he... touch you?”

She’s silent, her features remaining still. The dread twists, expands, and takes on a new form that sinks its claws into my stomach and threatens to tear at my heart.

She shakes her head. “Not really.”

I school my features into a mask of calm, even though my heart thuds so hard that its cage rattles. Through ragged, shallow breaths, I ask, “What does that mean?”

Seraphine glances to the side. “It was nothing like it was with Samson.”

Steam rises from the bathtub, and the air thickens with anticipation. It closes in on me on all sides and squeezes tight. My breath stills as I await her reply, and the silence bears down on us until my ears ring, making me force down a wave of frustration.

Why is she hesitating?

---