Page 20 of Hell Fae Commander

“I told you I’d never forgive you for this, and that wasbeforeyou watched Lucifer almost execute her right in front of us. If I didn’t mean it after the club, then I fucking do now.” His nose brushed mine as he snarled in my face. “I won’t forgive you, Az.”

Shit.

Pain stabbed my heart at the thought of losing Ajax, as well as Camillia, and the sensation surprised me.

I’m royally fucked.

Because I couldn’t betray Typhos, either.

Luckily, Melek seemed intent on keeping Camillia alive. I would use that to my advantage and trust him to reason with the Hell Fae King.

In the meantime, I would follow the order I’d been given.

To watch her.

Which required Ajax and me to mend this schism before it became irreparable.

Assuming it’s not too late.

The words felt foreign as I forced them to roll off my tongue. “I’m sorry,” I grated out, being the first to back away. It was a concession in both my words and my body language that felt wrong and unfamiliar. “Is that what you need me to say?I’m sorry.”

Two words I rarely uttered to anyone.

Yet it was the second time I’d apologized to Ajax in a matter of days. Only this time, I was saying the words aloud instead of in my mind.

I wasn’t sure what kind of response I expected, but Ajax turning and putting his back to me was not it.

My teeth ground together because it had takena lotfor me to apologize.

“And Ididsay something to him earlier. I didn’t just stand there and watch as he nearly executed her,” I corrected him. “I… I probably could have said more, but I did defend her.”

He snorted. “Verbally, perhaps. But physically, you would have rolled over and let him proceed.”

“You don’t know that,” I told him, frustrated by the accusation and his inability to understand. “You’re also not the only one who didn’t have a choice at the club. Typhos is my mate. My oldest friend. I will always put him first.”

It was a vow I had made over a thousand years ago, a vow I could never betray. Even if a part of me wanted to.

“I know,” Ajax finally replied, his voice flat. “That much is very clear.”

Reaching up with the desire to touch him, I caught myself just before I brushed his shoulder. I forced my hand to return to my side.

“That doesn’t mean I don’t care about you, Ajax.” Fuck, I more than cared. I considered him to bemine. “I did what I had to do to protect you.” How could he not see that? Why couldn’t he understand?

“And what about Cami?” Ajax demanded as he began to pace again, his wand reappearing to resume twirling. “Were you protecting her, too? Letting her stand up there for everyone to gawk at? Watching her lose her fight all for some sort of fucked-up punishment?” He scoffed at that, his wand moving faster now. “Just fuck off, Az. We’re done talking about this.”

My frustration burned into flames of my own, making me prowl forward. A flare of arousal didn’t help. When Ajax and I fought, it often ended in sex.

But I realized the thrumming sense of lust wasn’t only coming from me. A surge of heat burst through my mate-bond with Typhos, making me snarl.

Typhos and Melek are playing. Great. Just what I fucking need.

It wasn’t the normal playful sensation I felt when the pair fucked one another.

This time it was primal, violent, anddangerous.

The frustration and turmoil over the whole damn situation, mixed in with so much aggression and arousal thrumming through my body, mingled together into a determination tomakeAjax understand.

Force him to talk.