Page 138 of Ruthless God

“I promise.”

I shook my head. He didn’t know that and didn’t know what could happen in the future, so why was he making me a promise from a lie?

“I need you,” I said.

“I know.”

“I love you. It’s your fault for making me fall in love with you.”

“It’s my fault,” he agreed softly.

“So you don’t ever get to leave me.”

“I won’t ever leave you.”

“You don’t get to die.”

“I won’t die.”

I knew he was only saying those things to placate me, but it was helping.

I turned around, seeing the moonlight catching in his eyes. They flashed with something primal. Something raw and unexplainable.

“I was so worried when I didn’t see you in all the chaos,” I said.

“I know, baby. And I’m sorry you were put in that position. It’s my fault.”

I shook my head. “Will it always be like this?”

He hesitated, telling me enough.

“I can’t promise that we’ll have peace. I know that’s not what you want to hear, but I can promise you that I will always try my damndest to come back home to you.”

It should be enough, but I didn’t want him to try. I wanted the reassurance that we would be able to grow old together, even if I knew that wasn’t possible. No one could have that reassurance, not even couples who weren’t involved in this world as we were.

“I never had a reason to live for,” he said as if he could sense how much I was trying to keep from breaking. “My entirepurpose had been to ensure my siblings were safe. The rest just didn’t matter, including my own life.”

I let out a choked breath at his words. He pulled me in closer to him.

“I do now,” he said softly. “You made my world explode in beautiful colors, Luna. You make me care about more than just my responsibilities. So I will always try to get home to you, understand?”

Tears streamed down my face. I tried to speak but couldn’t, the words firmly lodged in my throat, making it painful just to swallow, let alone speak.

So I kissed him instead.

I kissed him until I could feel my muscles relaxing. Until the lodge in my throat didn’t have me in such a chokehold. Until everything was calm and quiet once more. Until I didn’t have to focus on anything but the fact that I was in his arms, feeling his solid form beneath my palms, his breath against mine as we shared the same air, and he was here with me.

“I love you,” I said, pulling back.

“And I love you,” he answered. Like I knew he would. Like I knew he always would. “Now until forever.”

EPILOGUE

LUNA

Ten YearsLater

I closed my eyes,bringing my forearm up to my lips and biting on it to keep from crying out in ecstasy.