His muscular body shudders. “More thoughtful. Instead I allowed my lust and love for you to get the better of me. I acted like a brutal beast in front of you.” He inhales and I feel his regret in my heart. “Do you think you could ever let me near you again?”
“No,” I say and he tenses. “Maybe. Yes. I don’t know.” He searches for my lips with his and he truly is poison and I have no antidote because I dig my nails into his pecs, “Oh Nathanos, I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
“What is it, sweetheart?” he whispers, his voice full of concern and I reply,
“I know I should say no but I can’t.” I tremble helplessly. “Nathanos, I wantmore.”
“I’m right here, my love,” he rasps with a violent grin and he grabs my hips to position me, so that I can take him and warm him again. “I’m right here.”
CHAPTER NINE
Nathanos
She sits on the living room couch. Pale and small with a shawl wrapped around her and her eyes watch the fireplace flames. There’s a distant expression on her face as if she’d rather not be here. Her fragility grates on me. Am I the one responsible for this sudden brittleness? Can’t be. She screamed my name under my hand last night and used her legs to spur me on. She allowed me into the heat of her over and over.
Amabella wants what I want.
She wants us to be together.
Sitting in a chair by the fire, opposite her, I watch her closely because I’m worried she’ll break and maybe have one of those feminine meltdowns where she gets all hysterical and faints. My legs jitter from restlessness, my eyes narrowing because she refuses to look at me. She’s deep in thought, her face turned from me and her knees are bare where her dress has slid up. When she catches me, staring at her exposed skin, she twitches and hurries to cover herself.
Inwardly I smirk. I’ll be in her room tonight again. And the next night and the next night.
“What’s wrong with Amabella?” Dean suddenly asks and I raise a brow.
“Yes, what iswrong?” I add.
Putting down the book he’s reading, Dean rasps, “Amabella, are you coming down with a fever? You haven’t said anything in five minutes.”
Amabella gasps, her eyes flooding with surprise and she straightens. “Daddy...,” she whimpers, looking from me to Dean and I shake my head in warning. When she gulps, Dean repeats,
“Well, what is it then?”
“Dad, leave her alone,” Bryce mutters, while typing away on his phone. “She wants attention, that’s all. You know how she gets when she doesn’t get it.”
Dean frowns, before sighing. “Don’t you think it’s time to grow up, Amabella?”
A whimper crosses her cracked lips and she wraps her shawl tighter around her, until she’s cocooned. I want to open up my arms and embrace her. She’s as fragile as a little bird. A little sparrow. And she’s got her own hawk waiting to keep her safe in his claws.
Letting out a moan as if she’s in pain, Amabella sits up and she’s all red in the face. She must be so warm right now and I want to put my hands on her and scorch myself. Her lower lip quivers as if she’s about to burst into tears and she whispers,
“I want him g...gone.”
I tense.
“You want who gone?” Dean asks in confusion because he’s not the sharpest tool in the shed.
“Nathanos,” Amabella pants and she unnecessarily points at me as if there’s more than one. “He’s not who you think he is.” She licks her lips. “He’s a m...monster. Daddy, please believe me.”
“Shut the hell up, Amabella,” Bryce growls and throws his phone to the side. He rises and starts pacing and he drags his fingers through his hair. “This is just a plot to sabotage my chances to become a prefect.”
Inwardly I roar with laughter but all they see is a grave man, watching family drama unfold with concern in his eyes.
“Is he right?” Dean asks in a chilling voice. “Are you just trying to ruin your brother’s future because of petty jealousy, Amabella?”
“No,” she croaks and Bryce yaps,
“Yeah, she is. She’s been obsessed with Nate since day one and now that she’s finally realized he couldn’t care less, she’s looking for revenge.”