Page 18 of The Last Aether

Kai laced his fingers with mine. “I just need you. Contact. It’ll speed things along.”

I tugged my hand free from his and rounded to the other side of the bed, climbing onto it. I curved myself around Kai, doing my best to avoid his injured shoulder.

His lips twitched. “If I’d known this was what it took to get you in my bed, I would’ve gotten shot a hell of a lot sooner.”

Riven poured a clear liquid onto Kai’s wound. His entire body jerked, and he let out a stream of curses. “What the hell, Riv? A little warning would’ve been nice.”

Riven pressed a gauze pad to the wound. “I thought you were happy to get a shot at having Aura in your bed.”

Kai glared at Riven, knocking his hand away. “Fuck off.”

“Stop it! Both of you need to grow up,” I growled, grabbing the gauze and applying pressure to the injury.

Kai winced at the contact.

“Sorry,” I whispered. “We have to get the bleeding to stop.” I couldn’t look away from the blood soaking the cotton square.

Kai leaned into me, pressing his lips to my forehead. “It’s okay.”

But it wasn’t. Kai could’ve been killed. And it would’ve been all my fault. “You stepped in front of me.”

Everyone in the room went still.

“Aura…” Kai began.

“You shielded me. Were going to take a bullet for me.”

“And I’d do it again right now,” he said, voice rough.

“Don’t, Kai. Promise me you won’t. Not ever again.”

“I can’t make that promise, Pip.”

My fingers tightened around the gauze. “Why the hell not?”

Kai’s good hand lifted to brush the hair from my face. “Because I love you.”

11

“What?” The word rushed out of me on a breath.

Kai’s mouth curved. “You might need a little help picking up the signals. I think I’ve been half in love with you since the moment we met.”

“Kai—”

“You see me. More than what I show the rest of the world. It’s like you knew my soul from that first moment in the hallway.”

A few tears slid from my eyes, landing on his bare chest. “I felt you.” I knew that now, with a certainty that was unshakeable. I could look back and feel Kai calling to me. Our irrevocable tether even then.

Kai leaned forward, brushing his lips against mine. “I know.”

“I love you too.” The words were out before I could stop them. The terror of giving them voice was nothing compared to almost losing Kai. I’d never be able to live with myself if I didn’t tell him.

His lips twitched again. “I know that too.”

My mouth screwed up into a scowl. “You don’t have to be so sure of yourself.”

He pressed his forehead to mine. “I’m sure of myself because of you. The way you’re there for me. How at peace you make me feel.”