Page 60 of Marked
“Because you’re new to him and a stranger. And most likely gained your experience from killing people.”
“You kill people too,” he pointed out. “That hardly makes either of us untrustworthy.”
“Did you kill Dita?”
He jerked to the side, taking away some of his warmth. “Of course not. I don’t know of any way to kill a bonded galeon descendant.”
“You just kill regular people.”
Ace scoffed. “That’s not why Orion doesn’t trust me.”
“Do tell then.”
“It’s because he views me as competition. Men who are jealous are dangerous.”
“He’s harmless.”
“I disagree and the hunter he killed probably would as well,” Ace said. “It’s clear he doesn’t trust me because he’s worried you’re going to fall for my considerable charms, and he’s trying desperately to interfere and distract you.”
I peered up at him. “Considerable?”
Heat flashed in his gaze, and he leaned down close enough to kiss, bringing back his warmth. Our breath mingled. The ebb of pain in my body faded away.
“You have no idea,” he whispered.
I tore my gaze away. “I remember you and Paul having pissing contests on O’Reilly’s back fence. I wouldn’t go making baseless claims.” My cheeks heated at the words because I remembered everything, and Ace’s claims weren’t baseless at all.
“We were ten,” he said.
“Thirteen and fifteen, actually.”
Ace rubbed at the stubble along his jaw. “Whatever happened to O’Reilly?”
“Nothing. He’s still there, being a miserable old bastard. Haven’t you seen him around?”
“Fortunately, no, I haven’t. Is he still running the smithy? It might be difficult to avoid him.”
I shook my head. “He gave the smithy to his nephew a few years back.”
“Graham?”
“Yeah.”
“He’s still a dick,” Ace said.
“We agree on something it seems.” Silence descended over us, and I let the sounds of the night forest flow over me as I thought on Ace’s comments. “Maybe I should tell Rye the good news so he can relax a little.”
“Good news?”
“Haven’t you figured it out yet?” I lifted my chin and glanced at him. “I haven’t fallen for your considerable charms at all.”
“Yet.”
The one word set my skin on fire. I sucked in a breath and made the mistake of looking up at him again. Our gazes locked. Tension danced between us, and his gaze slipped to settle on my lips. My heart raced.
A memory of us standing together on the grassy hill by the bridge to Wast blazed in my mind. He’d held me in his arms under the moonlight not so different than this one, the scent of spring flowers danced around us in an uncommonly warm wind. He’d told me he loved me. He’d told me I was everything to him. He’d leaned down to kiss me and?—
“You two look awfully cozy.” Orion’s unexpected voice dumped ice over my senses.