Page 51 of Thorn Evermore

His reasoning makes sense and settles something inside of me. “You would worry about us otherwise.”

“Absolutely. The ego in me hopes still. My bed has been cool for too long, but I will bide my time. Now, push all thoughts of me away and think of yourself, Thorn. If you truly don’t believe Kyson is special, then go send him away. Right now, before his heart is broken.”

I open my mouth to speak, then close it, then open it again. “No.”

“No?”

“I… I don’t want to send him away.”

“What if he falls in love? What then, Thorn? Will you ruin the poor man?”

My stomach twists, the meal I drank not long ago churning inside me. “I don’t feel so good.”

Yves chuckles. “Then change the narrative. What if Kyson falls in love with you? What will you do, brother?”

“What if…” I shrug. “What if I don’t know how? I’ve never once even flirted with the idea of love. I’m unskilled.”

“You know how it works. He wouldn’t have been sent to you if you didn’t know how to love him.”

“Okay, fair, but what if he’s not really my fated mate? What if he’s just a delicious man who is in over his head?”

“Tell me what you think is true? How many men in over their heads have you known over the centuries? How many have you simply released when your interest faded? How many?”

“I don’t know.”

“Right. Now tell me again why you don’t want to send Kyson away?”

I close my eyes as the answer seems to radiate through me. “You already know, don’t you?”

“The moment I met him tonight. Do you know why?”

“No.”

“It had nothing to do with him and everything to do with you. Your energy was… different. Lighter.”

“Will it change who I am?”

“Your brothers remain the same, except for how they spend their free time.”

“Right.”

“I’ve told the others the same thing I’ll tell you now. You don’t have to do anything about it. You can just wait. Fate will show her cards eventually.”

“Patience? Hardly a trait of mine.”

Yves laughs. “I know. Dive in headfirst then. See what happens. I have a feeling Kyson can handle it. Why else would fate have picked him for you?”

My heart wars between terror and joy.

“You’ll get used to it,” Yves says, obviously aware of my inner turmoil. “Go to him, and please, for the love of Hades, stop worrying about me. My time will come.”

“Thank you. You are the voice of reason we all need.”

“I am your maker. It is my purpose.”

“You are so much more than that.”

After I leave Yves, I return to my apartment, ready to accept the one thing that up to now, I haven’t expected or wanted.

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