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“How long have you been here?”

“Long enough to see that the seeds of obsession have been planted, that you’ve moved from being intrigued by her to being pulled in by her.”

I reacted without thinking, like an animal, slamming my hands into his chest and driving him into a nearby tree.

The psychopath laughed. “There it is. Now we’re seeing beyond the charming exterior. The diplomatic and easygoing façade you put on to those around you. Here’s the animal behind it all.”

“Shut the fuck up.”

“Strange that you’re not taking that as a compliment.”

I snarled in his face.

He showed no fear. That was how demented he was. And how much arrogance he held for his own abilities. He clearly thought himself untouchable.

He even pushed things further, ramping up the anger and frustration spilling from me when any sane being would be doing anything they could to diffuse it.

“Could it be because you don’t want it outed to her that you have this not-so-nice side that goes right along with not-so-nice urges? Something you’re trying to conceal from her and tamperdown by thrusting this whole gentlemanly façade out there instead? You’re trying to present yourself as the antithesis to me. And not just to her. To Nyx as well.”

“That’s why you’re coming at me, despite us making peace? Nyx told you I showed him those memories, showed him what you were doing to Ariana?”

“The way you framed it was beyond manipulative.”

“And that’s your thing, yes?”

“It’s not the whole truth. I want you to make that clear to him.”

“Had a falling out over it, did you?”

“That was your intention.”

“When we were fighting, yes. Not now. Coming between you doesn’t serve me now. In fact, as you can see from this little dust up, it’s actually the opposite. And it even concerns me that it could impact Nyx negatively, because, as I’ve said, I’ve taken a liking to him. I don’t want him hurt.”

“Then explain the truth to him.”

“Why do you need me to?”

“Why do you think? He won’t hear a word I speak at the moment. He’s that hurt by it.”

“Does he think you’d do it to him then, use his repression against him?”

“I don’t fucking know. I hope not, because I wouldn’t. It will always be off the table. But even where Ariana’s concerned, it wasn’t to hurt her—the direct opposite.”

“I don’t need to explain it to him, Kai.”

He glared up at me. “What?” he demanded, fiercely.

I smiled and gestured where I’d felt a presence several moments ago, but I’d let it slide, needing to push the conversation in a direction that would actually assist with this mess.

“Because he’s just heard it for himself,” I said, just as Nyx materialized from a burst of smoke.

He was leaning against a tree adjacent to us, looking between us.

“The two of you are really intense,” he said, gesturing at me still pinning Kai to the tree, as Kai grasped my biceps fiercely. “I guess I shouldn’t have expected anything else from two Type A personalities. Throw in Kai’s obsessive need to be in control and your animalistic side with the dragon, and it’s beyond.”

Kai relaxed a little, his grip on me loosening. “Does that mean we’re—”

“We’re good again, yes. Just watch yourself with these games of yours going forward.”