“They shot you?” Luca said.
“Yeah, they did, only when trying to beat the shit out of me didn’t work.”
Of course it wouldn’t work. The Anubis would have healed Nox faster than a normal man could have injured him, even with a gun.
But it also would have rained down hell.
Nox’s expression fell. “I didn’t kill them.”
Luca wanted to believe him.
“I promise, but…”
“What?”
“I would have. If I hadn’t thought about you, I would have….” Nox resumed packing their things. “I had to crawl under a fence to avoid being arrested.”
Luca’s heart sank. “Did they see you?”
“No, no. They got the two men who attacked me, not sure if they will give a description to the police. But even if they don’t—” Nox zipped up the bag. “—the store employee who witnessed it can.” Nox shook his head. “I’m sorry, Luca. I’m…”
“It’s okay.”
“I promised we’d stay here for a while.”
“This isn’t your fault.” No, it was the fault of two assholes Luca might have provoked into going after Nox. Luca grabbed the other bag and packed the rest of their belongings.
“I could have killed them.”
“They deserved it.” Luca shoved his laptop into the wad of clothes.
“If I’d lost control, I could have killed everyone in that store.”
Luca met Nox’s gaze. Shame darkened his eyes.
“But you didn’t,” Luca said.
“That’s not the point.”
“Yes, it is. You didn’t. You controlled it.” There’d been a time when Nox wouldn’t have stood a chance.
“Only because I distracted it by thinking about you.”
Luca didn’t have to ask what those thoughts were. “It worked. That’s all that matters.” He stuffed his feet into his shoes.
Nox stood beside him, looking like a broken man. “It wanted to hurt you, Luca.”
“It won’t.” Luca hated the doubt in his voice. Because he believed the Anubis wouldn’t hurt him. He had to believe it wouldn’t.
Because if he didn’t?
“C’mon, let’s finish packing, then we’ll go.”
Nox picked up one of the duffle bags. He jerked his head up in the direction of the door.
A growl rose in his throat.
Luca had to will himself not to step back.