Page 45 of Devil’s Candy

My hand comes to my mouth as that sinks in. Poor Rebecca.

Not that I like Sver less for understanding this about him. With my past, it somehow makes me feel weirdly better, the depths that Sver went to protect his daughters. I wish my family could have given me a tenth of that.

If only one person who was supposed to love me had actually protected me.

I rub my fingertips along the back of Sver’s hand. “I’m so sorry for your brother.”

Killian looks over at me from across Sver’s sleeping form. “Don’t be polite to me, Candy. I lied to you today in order to cause as much pain as possible. Sver was never going to leave you.”

I wince, pain surely showing on my face.

“I did it because I wanted him to suffer. Since Chloe, I’ve worried every day that I might find myself in the same position as Win. And somehow, because Sver was the man who delivered that pain to Win, I saw him as a threat to Chloe. Today, my worst fear nearly came true, but Sver wasn’t the man trying to hurt her, he’s the only reason she’s asleep in my lap at this very moment.”

Maybe I should be angry at Killian. He pushed on my every fear today. Of not being loved, of every person I’ve ever cared about bailing on me.

But all I can feel is sympathy. And a deep longing for someone to love me like Killian does Chloe. “It must have been awful.”

He shakes his head, looking pissed that I’m being nice again. So I reach my free hand across Sver’s body, holding it out to Killian.

He stares at it for a second like it might bite him and then he reaches for my hand. “I don’t touch very many people.” But he slides his fingers into mine.

“Thank you for bringing Sver back to me…” I say, my voice cracking. The fear that’s been nipping at me all day making me shake. “I’m glad Chloe and the baby are safe.” Then I let his hand go. “Take Chloe home. She needs her rest.”

He gives me a small smile. “She’d kill me.” But he brushes a kiss over her forehead.

I look away, giving them their moment. Under my hand, Sver twitches. It makes my pulse jump, though it’s not the first time he’s moved like this. It’s an involuntary movement, but it still fills me with a jolt of hope.

“People don’t really understand me, but she always has. Most of the world treats me with either fear or loathing, but not her.”

I don’t know what to say. Killian mostly scares me.

But he keeps talking. “But you, Candy…you’re really easy to like.”

My head snaps up as I meet his gaze. “You don’t have to be nice now⁠—"

“You’re kind, talented, pretty. I mean, a guy like Vinnie, he’s black right down to his core. It’s a dead end looking for something good in a person like that. And without any good inside, he’ll never be good to you.” His gaze flicks to Sver.

I shrug, pulling in a shaky breath of air. “Maybe I only attract bad because I’m bad.”

“Nah. You’re all right. I mean, you’re probably not going to attract some investment banker.”

I bristle a little. “Because I’m trash?”

“No, because they’re weak assholes. You need a man who can be really strong.” And then he looks at Sver. “Might be that you’ve figured that out already though.”

His phone rings and he slides it from his pocket. “Yeah?”

I don’t listen as I turn back to Sver, sweeping my palm over his cheek. “Sver,” I whisper. “Please wake up. Please. I just…” I swallow down a lump. “I haven’t even gotten the chance to tell you that I love you. Like, really love you. You don’t have to say it back. You don’t even have to feel it. I just want the chance to show you how much you mean to me.”

His hand twitches in mine again and then…his eyes flutter open, the blue-gray of his meeting mine. “Baby girl,” he croaks. “My little Candy cane.” His fingers move in my hand.

“You’re awake!”

“I’m awake,” he answers back, using his other hand to swipe at his forehead. “How could I not wake up to words like those?”

“Oh,” I gasp, pulling back a bit. “You heard me.” A brick settles in my stomach as I tense.

“I did.”