Page 167 of Ruthless Creatures

“Permanently?”

“Correct.”

“What if I said I wanted to?”

I say softly, “You don’t, baby. You would’ve already told me if you did.”

She draws a slow breath. We stare at each other. My arms ache to feel her warmth.

“I left Mojo with Sloane.”

“I’ll bring him here. Along with all your things from your house.”

After a moment, she whispers hoarsely, “Just burn that damn house down. Burn it to the ground.”

When I take a step toward her, my heart throbbing, she holds up a hand to stop me.

“Not yet, Kage. You need to leave me alone for a while.”

Her voice is broken. Her eyes shine with unshed tears.

I’ll leave her alone all she wants later, but right now she needs her man.

When I stride forward, my gaze leveled on hers, she says firmly, “No.”

“Yes.”

I grab her, pull her against my chest, and squeeze her, hard. She doesn’t pull away, but she doesn’t hug me back, either. I dig a hand into her hair and whisper into her ear.

“Tell me what to do. I’ll do anything.”

With her face hidden in my shirt, she sighs. “You can start by getting me a glass of wine. I can’t deal with this shit sober.”

“Are you gonna run away as soon as I go into the kitchen?”

“I had the thought. But I know you’d follow me, so…” She sighs again.

“I would. I’ll always follow you. You’re my north star.”

She makes a strangled noise and burrows her face deeper against my pec. My heart soaring, I kiss her throat and hold her closer.

“Stop sniffing my hair, pervert.”

“I can’t help it. Your scent is my favorite drug.”

“If you say one more romantic thing, I’ll throw up.”

She’s angry, hurt, and shell-shocked, but underneath all that, I hear something else in her words.

Love.

I almost groan out loud.

Buried in my back pocket, my cell phone rings. I don’t want to answer it, but I’m waiting for an important call.

If it’s the one I’m expecting, I can’t miss it.

“Go ahead,” Nat says softly, pulling away. “I can tell you want to.”