LOGIN“Grieving.”Ivy blinked. “What does that mean?”“It’s… What I did for your mom.” His throat tightened. “What I did for you for a while, too.”“That doesn’t really make sense.”“It won’t,” he said, putting his hand on her shoulder. This time, she didn’t flinch away, which came as a relief. “Not until
Kade’s POVKade, Tyler, and the others didn’t return to Nightshade for two days after they left Elena behind.Each step of the way, Kade considered turning back for her. Multiple times, he had considered marching back there and scooping her up into his arms and forcing her to return with him, even k
Eventually, the floor was as clean as it would get given the circumstances. I dumped the muddy-looking water out into the pond, then scrubbed my hands, arms, and face in the sink.Exhaustion took over me by then. I flopped onto the rickety cot without thinking twice and slept.When I woke the next m
Elena’s POVI must have sat in that spot on the porch for hours. Hell, it could have been days, and I might not have even noticed.The passage of time lost all meaning. The sun rose, turning the swamp hot and fetid with the scents of still water and rotting wood. The sun reached its zenith and the f
Kade walked up to her. He didn’t sit. He got the sense that she didn’t want that. Instead, he just let her stare at Ivy. Then down at her hands. Then at Ivy again.“It’s not your fault,” he said after a long moment.Elena didn’t answer. She just blinked, then looked back out over the swamp.Just the
Kade’s POVThe shack was quiet except for Nellie, who was making a small, whimpering sound from her chair. Kade looked at her once, then looked away.Wordlessly, Elena crossed the room and dropped to her knees beside Lana. She gathered her up, both arms pulling her close, and rocked her friend back
“Befitting of a warmonger,” I teased. If my jab amused Kade, he didn’t show it.We ate in silence for a few moments. My mind raced with what to say next—some kind of segue into the topic of my baby. I had practiced what to say, but admittedly, now that I was here, sitting directly next to Kade, I wa
Elena’s POVThe way Kade’s breath caught when he entered the room and saw me sitting there was exactly what I expected, and exactly what I had been hoping for.After last night, when I saw the way Kade looked at me in my nightgown, the desire in his eyes as he forced himself to hold me at arms’ leng
But now… Now, she was looking at him like he was the only thing in the world she could ever want. The lust in her eyes was unbearable for Kade to look at. If he gazed for too long, he might get pulled in and lose himself completely.Taking a step back, Kade said, “You hated me before. Why act like y
Elena’s POVThe scent of ash and smoke made the pounding in my head even worse. Something smelling of copper was caked in my hair. A rough rope was tied around my wrists and ankles.I woke to the feeling of my body swaying, neck aching from my head lolling backwards. Cracking my bleary eyes open, I







