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She spun to face hi me?"

"I’ll be back," he rushed to add "And I’ll introduce you to everyone I’ll give you a tour Whatever you want"

"I wantyou"

She was no longer the passive girl he’d first h too much, had survived too hts, and that hadn’t changed She would fight for what she wanted, would even fight Kane hi with you? Tell me Don’t push me aside Not this time"

"My head’s messed up," he said in a tortured voice "The weeks in hellthe demons"

"I’m so sorry I should have realized" She closed the distance between them, placed her pal there had reminded him of all he’d endured, and yet still he’d come for her Such a precious man My man "Let me help you Please"

"I Yes Okay" He picked her up, carried her to the bed, and laid her across the e the poison"

A moment passed Then another

Then, "I don’t know if you know this," he said quietly, "but it’s possible for a woman to arouse a man’s body, even if he doesn’t want the woman herself That’s hohen I was trapped in hell, countless s to me It was far worse than I led you to believe It was one female after another, their hands and mouths everywhere, as they tried to steal my seed They wanted to have my babies, and I was rarely left alone All the while, Disaster laughed He’s laughing now He loves every second of my pain and humiliation"

"Oh, Kane" Her poor, poor Kane "It’s not your hu It’s Disaster’s It’s the ht harder"

"Could you really?" she asked "When you’re already stronger than any man I know?"

"I’m not," he said with a shake of his head

"Yes, you are, and today proves it Despite everything you endured, you still caainst her cheek, she felt his heart skip a beat "I did, didn’t I? Butwhen I heard the de in, I felt sick and cowardly I should have faced them I should have destroyed them And one day I will But today, I only wanted to flee"

And it had embarrassed his warrior soul, she realized "Oh, Kane Cowardliness has nothing to do with feeling, and everything to do with action You acted despite everything You are brave and valiant and worthy, and you had eance You had a wo to protect You knehat the minions were capable of, and I bet you wanted ht?"

Only the slightest hesitation before he admitted, "Yes" Then he rolled onto his side and buried his head into the hollow of her neck So warm dripped onto her skin Atear? His arht, and another droplet splashed, and then another and another Soon, Kane was sobbing, great, gut-wrenching sobs, tre for hih the silk of his hair How long had these tears been trapped inside? How long had his inner wounds festered?

A fewhis weight froainst the mattress "I’m sorry," he croaked

"Why?"

"I just acted like a wom--uh, a child"

"Tears aren’t childish, silly And they’re not reserved for woed, you were hurt and you suffered greatly You’re allowed to react"

His fingers dusted along the line of her jaw "Your wisdoly so quiet a second later "They didn’t succeed, you know I didn’t leave any of the lad He wouldn’t have survived that kind of connection to the Underworld

Josephina sat up without ever breaking contact, and peered down at him Whatever she’d meant to say was superseded by, "No fair When I cry, I look like a hag who’s just left a boxing match You look as beautiful as always"

He offered her a slow, lazy smile "You think I’m beautiful?"

"I think I’ve told you I consider you the incarnation of beautiful" She tugged his shirt over his head

"No, you told me I’, butwhat are you doing?"

"Remember when I told you I wanted to s today Now" His boots were the next to go, followed by his pants and underwear, leaving him totally and completely naked

Josephina perused him unabashedly Actually, beautiful and sexy ords too mild for him He had muscle stacked upon muscle, and flawless bronze skin, all topped off by the butterfly tattoo on his hip

She traced the jagged edges of the wings "The artwork catches my attention every tie"

Very true "You want to be rid of it Of hi"

"Then we’ll find a way tohirip the headboard"<ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>