Page 155 of The Vampire's Storm

Anger replaced his smile.

“You don’t know anything, Brooklyn,” Logan said, walking up to her and gripping her face. “Not a damn thing.”

She shook, waiting for him to snap her neck, wishing she could tell him she was sorry, but she just wanted to look at him and remember how he’d made her feel beautiful and terrified and safe.

It was complicated.

Just like the male before her.

Glad she’d made peace with her parents and her brother’s death, she took the final few seconds of her life to say the only other thing she needed to say.

“I love you,” Brooklyn whispered.

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

Ilove you.

“You love me?” He growled, tightening the grip on her face.

“Yes,” Brooklyn whispered, shaking under his hand.

“What you have done can’t be undone.” His voice was dark and raspy. “Now your life is in danger.”

Confusion bled into her eyes.

He knew why. She thought he was about to kill her. Which had been the plan until Sage had got in his damn ear.

He lifted her up by her face, and she scrambled to grip his T-shirt and steady herself.

“Not by me,” Logan added.

Blink.

“I’m going to fuck you. I’m going to claim you. Then I am going to protect you. Do you understand?” he growled.

Blink.

“Tell me you understand.”

She nodded.

Then shook her head.

Logan tugged the towel away.

He had to bond with Brooklyn to keep her alive. To keep her safe. It was the only way.

The king—who seemed less concerned about the exposure than almost everyone—could not punish her if she was his mate. Not that he seemed inclined to, but he might.

As his mate, Brooklyn would have his and the senior warriors in the Moretti royal army’s protection.

It was how they worked.

Though many of them were furious with what she’d done, they didn’t believe she deserved to die. They seemed to understand her motivations.

He couldn’t kill her. Not at the cost of his soul.

Nor did he want to live without her.