Page 52 of The Vixen

Glass shifts in the metal bin as I go to walk around her, but she grabs my arm to stop me. When I look at her, she squints. “What are youdoing?” she asks, the accusation thick in the last word—as predictable as sunrise. Because Luna isn’t stupid. She isn’t easy.

But she has a vulnerability. And for reasons I don’t yet understand, it’s me.

Glass rattles as I set the bin down and run my hand through my hair. I release my expression, letting fear—real fear—show.

Not too much.

Just enough.

“I don’t know.”

Luna frowns. “What do you mean you don’t know? What’s wrong?”

With one comb through my hairline, I drop my hand to my side. A damp blond lock falls just above my brow.

Christ, I’msweating.

“Sawyer…”

“I’m scared.” I keep my voice low. Not quite a whisper, not shaky, but low and convincing. “I…”

Her brows pinch with concern. She shakes her head. “What?”

“I can’t do what you want.”

The concern slips away. Her face hardens; her lips pinch. Her chin lifts just a little higher. A palpable wall raises between us, but I don’t think I’ve fucked up just yet.

“Why?”

“Because, Luna. I fucking care about them. The same way I cared too much to leave you here; I care too much to sit back and keep my mouth shut while youmurderthem.” I wave my hand at the wall—really the library, where the computer is and all The Shadow Sanctum’s cattle wait for me to herd them to a slaughterhouse. “I get that you have to do what you have to do, and I’m not going to lie and say I haven’t made the same choices… But they have been here aday. If you’re going to kill a trouble maker after a day, I can’t bring you more.”

No bluffing.

“We both know I don’t want to die. You’re right, I’m a selfish bastard. I’m fuckingterrifiedof going back to the mines, but I’d rather you execute me alongside Liberty tomorrow than dig the graves of women I promised would be safe here. I swear on my mother’s grave, that’s not a bluff.”

I let her search my expression for bullshit, and for once, let it all hang out. Leave nothing covered.

That.

That’s the key to this woman.

She can sniff out a lie, but she’ll fall for the truth every time.

“If you think I chose wrong, I’m sorry. It’s my fault you can’t trust my judgment. I’ve been awful to you, but…”

My mouth hangs open while I pretend to search for words. I trace Luna’s face, no less stone-like.

But her eyes have softened. She wants to fight. Sheknowsshe should fight.

I take her face in my hands before she can act. “Please.”

Her lips part as her hardened composure cracks, but she senses it. Like an alarm bell ringing in her mind:something’s wrong.

She rips from my grasp. “Don’ttouch me.”

I follow as she backpedals into the wall. My hands plant on either side of her head, and I lean in like I’m going to kiss her. But not quite. I hover an inch from her lips as her jerky, cinnamon breaths flutter against my mouth.

“Get away from me, Dreg,” she tries to growl. But it’s pained. She’s confused.