Sky and Storm ( Warriors of Vis #1)(18)

Holding his breath and doing his best to hear them, Sky started trembling. When he heard Storm talking about their wedding night and the hurt he had felt, Sky wanted to run inside and fall to his knees, apologize for everything. He knew how badly he’d screwed up, but hearing it from Storm’s mouth, the pain so palpable, it broke Sky’s heart. He wanted, no, he needed to make amends for all the hurt he’d caused his husband.

Sky couldn’t move. He just hid there, outside the room, door cracked open, and listened. He could barely breathe by the time Sera told Storm how Sky really felt. No, Storm could not find out like that! It was the worst thing that could happen.

Only his crippling fear prevented him from rushing into the room and making Sera stop. Of all the times he’d dreamed about Storm realizing how much Sky loved him, this was the worst way. Why would Storm believe Sera, when he was convinced Sky would never accept Storm’s warrior side. It was all wrong. Seeing Storm like that, angry, powerful, bathed in fresh blood… it had left Sky breathless with want. He needed to say something about it. He took a few deep breaths and pushed himself off the floor to a sitting position. Bit by bit, he pulled his knees up and hugged them, trying to steady himself. He could do this, he needed to do this.

Sera stepped out of the room and kneeled in front of him. She took his hands in hers and gave them a reassuring squeeze, then walked away. It was time Sky stopped cowering away and hiding behind excuses.

Storm did not hate Sky and had a very twisted view of what Sky thought and felt.

Sky stood on shaky legs, using the door to keep himself up and to straighten, then inhaled deeply, closing his eyes as he took his first step toward Storm. You can do it, one foot in front of the other, he silently encouraged himself, clenching his fists and cringing at every squeak of the wooden floor. When his vision came into focus, he saw Storm wrapped in a ball on the floor, his back to Sky. His shoulders were moving as he sobbed. Sky stared at him. The Dragon was on the floor crying. It did not fit with the blood-thirsty warrior, not one bit.

The war-waging future ruler of Vis was however nothing more than one of the many shades that painted the picture of Storm. Sky realized how purposefully blind he’d been, refusing to see his husband for everything that he was: the boy Sky had once known, the warrior everyone thought they knew, and the wonderful lover and husband Sky never even knew he had.

Sky slid across the floor on his knees, wrapping his arms around Storm the moment they made contact and gripping him tightly. Storm responded, turning in Sky’s arms and locking his hands around his waist, burying his face in Sky’s chest and continuing to sob.

I caused this. It’s pain I’ve inflicted. He knew he’d been afraid when he had been dragged to the castle and told to marry the Dragon. Sky had been angry that he’d been given no say in the matter and he’d wanted to crush Storm’s skull with his bare hands because of it.

In the short weeks that had led to the wedding, Storm had tried to get Sky to talk, to get reacquainted with each other, but Sky had refused all his future husband’s attempts. Storm getting too close made Sky’s blood boil and his cock stir fueling his anger, which hashed out the dreadful events of their wedding night.

Sky still knew Storm’s words by heart. He also knew his husband had been right. He was nothing but a spoiled brat with no idea what real suffering was, lashing out at someone he was clearly attracted to. He pulled Storm higher, having his head rest on Sky’s shoulder and rocked him.

“I’m sorry, Storm. I’m so sorry,” he whispered in his ear, kissing his cheek. “I’m such an idiot, I’m sorry.”

Storm froze in his arms, suddenly becoming very silent. He pushed off Sky’s body and sat in front of him, crossing his legs.

“You should never apologize for anything.” Storm placed one shaky finger over his husband’s lips when Sky tried to speak and shook his head. “You never had a choice, Sky. If you had, you would have never chosen to marry a monster like me. I forced you into this, then got angry because you didn’t take it with a smile.” Storm rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand. “Everything has consequences. You shouldn’t do stupid shit if the consequences don’t sit well with you.”

Sky leaned forward and cupped Storm’s cheek, brushing it with his thumb. “You are not a monster. Even if you were, I don’t care. I don’t think I did for a moment. I was just angry I was never asked if I wanted to marry you.”

Sky shrugged and dropped his hand, looking away from his husband. “I loved you since the first moment I saw you. I repressed everything because… well, because you sent me away. And on our wedding night it all came back, reminding me of how I thought everything about you was so amazing. It was too late though, I had pushed you away.”

Storm blinked, opening and closing his mouth, yet said nothing. Sky was getting worried and fidgety. Maybe confessing to his husband hadn’t been the brightest idea he’d ever had.

Sky jumped at the sound of his husband’s voice. It was strong and commanding again.

“Sky, I saw you in the courtyard. I saw how you looked at me when I killed those bastards. You were horrified, you looked like you were going to be sick. Yet you want me to believe you don’t think I’m a monster, or that you don’t mind it?”

Sky hung his head in an attempt to hide his face, feeling the hot, deep red spreading. “That, husband mine, had nothing to do with repulsion. Umm… how do I say this?” Sky shrugged without looking at Storm. “I’ve never seen you like that and it was quite a vision. It… it made me want you in such a desperate way, and then I realized it was too late. I’d lost you long ago. I was never as smart as Eagle when it came to you.”