Page 11 of Fury of Affliction
A tear rolled, leaving a wet trail across his skin.
Theodora kissed it away, and staying close, held his gaze. “He was beautiful.”
“I know.”
“Do you want to go get him?”
His brows collided. “What?”
“Bring him and Amanda here,” she said. “Have them closer. Be able to visit whenever you want.”
Shock thumped through him.Bring them here?To Seattle?He opened his mouth. No sound came out. Unable to find his voice, Sloan stared at her.
“You’ve never considered it?”
Finding it hard to breathe, he shook his head.
“Why not?”
“I don’t know. I just…”
As he trailed off, she tilted her head. A dangerous glint entered her eyes a moment before they narrowed on him. “A form of punishment? A way to make yourself suffer more?”
Hearing the edge in her tone, he swallowed. “Not exactly, but?—”
“You don’t deserve that, Sloan. You deserve to have your loved ones close.”
He didn’t agree.
He deserved that and much worse for what he allowed to happen. Faced with the rising tempest of her temper, though, wasn’t the time to press his point. A smart decision. The second he told her he didn’t deserve her compassion and understanding, she’d get pissy, insist it wasn’t his fault, but…
It was.
All of it.
He’d been the cause of it all. Amanda’s pain and suffering. His son’s brutal death. Had he been more disciplined, less malleable, none of it would’ve happened.
His mate scowled. “I know what you’re thinking, Sloan. And I’m telling you to stop it.”
“Theo—”
“You didn’t murder her. Or kill your son. Get that out of your head,” she said, planting her hands flat on his chest to punctuate her point. “What happened was tragic. Awful. You did all you could for Amanda and Simeon.”
“I never should’ve slept with her.”
“Did you rape her?”
“No!” The denial exploded from his chest. “Never. I would never?—”
“Did you lie to her?”
He shook his head. “She knew I was Dragonkind. I told her about energy-fuse and what it meant. She believed we’d forged that connection, and I was too young to know the difference. We were best friends. I loved her. I thought that would be enough, and the Meridian would prove that true at the realignment.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, tone full of tenderness.
Another round of pain hit him, making it difficult to breathe. “Me too.”
“I need you to hear me, Sloan. Listen. Really take it in.” Raising her hands, she cupped his face and drew him closer. Nose-to-nose with him, her gaze bore into his. “Free will, honey. Amanda wanted you. Even knowing the risks, she chose you. I don’t blame her. All that is you…the beauty you bring…even without the bond we share, I would’ve risked it too.”