Page 121 of Burdened Bonds

I examine his face. My bond strains towards him. His emotions are clearer through the bond now and I can feel his remorse.

“What are you sorry for, Tristan?” I whisper.

He stares down at the floor. “Everything.”

“Everything,” I repeat with a sigh. And maybe it’s the shockof what’s happened, or all my emotions bubbling up to the surface like an erupting volcano, but the tears start to roll down my cheeks. I sniff, wiping them away with my fingers. “You know the worst of it, Tristan. I don’t know what to believe anymore. I don’t know whether you were lying to him or to me.”

“Him, Piglet, him. Always him. If he knew the truth … I had to hide it from him.”

“Why? Because you’re ashamed, ashamed of me?”

“You don’t know what he is like. How dangerous he can be. If he thought you were powerful, if he thought he could use you … I wasn’t prepared to let that happen.” He lifts his gaze to mine. “I’ll never let that happen.”

“But you told him about my mates – didn’t you? It was you.”

“I tried not to, Rhi. Believe me, I tried with all my might but that drug and his magic–”

“You stood there, right in front of me, and said you loved Summer Clutton-Brock. Let her fawn all over you. Do you know how that felt?”

“It was the drug. I was under his control. I didn’t mean any of that stuff I said. I’m not in love with Summer. I’m not going to marry her.”

“Did you sleep with her?” I say, intending to spit the words in his face. Instead, they leave my mouth as a feeble sob. Because as much as I hate to admit it, the thought of him with Summer breaks my goddamn heart.

“Summer?” he scoffs. “No, no. I can’t stand the girl.”

“There was a time, Tristan Kennedy, when you couldn’t stand me!”

“That’s not true. There was never a time I didn’t want you.”

I frown. “I’m not sure that’s really the same thing. Youdidn’t come looking for me, Tristan. You didn’t try to find me.”

“Because I was trying to free Spencer.” He grimaces. “And I fucked it up.”

“Right, because Spencer is your best friend and I’m just–”

“Because Spencer is your mate too and you need us all,” he snaps.

I stare at him aghast and in the next minute, he tugs me right up close against his body. It’s hard to think straight. It’s hard to think at all.

His body is warm and hard and strong and my bond makes me giddy, it’s so freaking high, elated to be this close to him, to feel his skin against mine.

“I’ve always wanted you.” He spins me around, crushing me against the wall. “Only you. I can’t stop thinking about you. Day and night. All the time. I’m losing my mind.”

“It’s the bond. It’s like that when you first seal it.”

“I’ve been crazy about you since I met you. Long before the bond between us was sealed. You’re like no one I’ve ever met. You’re fucking entrancing.” He leans closer, staring deep into my eyes. He’s pretty damn entrancing himself, especially those eyes, penetrating and beautiful. “You mean the world to me, Piglet. And I’d do anything for you.”

Then his mouth is on mine and I can’t resist him, can’t resist this. He’s always made me feel things I shouldn’t and when he says things like that, I could almost believe them.

I kiss him back, my hands tugging at his shirt, finding his warm skin beneath, letting my hands trail across all the ridges of hard muscle I find there.

We sealed the bond. We relented to Fate’s desires. And ever since we’ve been apart, ignoring her demands and she has punished us for it.

Now we are together and neither of us has the willpower to ignore her any longer, despite our circumstances, despite the goddamn stupidity of it.

He growls and I know my touch feels as good for him as his does for me, our magic already spinning around us, glinting and glimmering in the darkness.

“We should go,” he murmurs, his hot lips finding my throat, “we should really get out of here, but stars forgive me, I can’t … I can’t …”