Where Darkness Lives (Guardians of Eternity #7.75)(34)

“I was too weakened to shift,” she lamely tried to argue. “I knew I would need you to kill Morton and get us out of there.”

“Liar.”

“Luc ...”

Tugging on her wrists, which he still held in a loose grip, he kissed her with an aching tenderness.

“I’m sorry, cara,” he whispered against her mouth. “I regret ever deceiving you, and if I could go back in time I would change everything. But all we can do is go forward.”

She pulled back to study his somber expression. Deep inside she knew that he hadn’t meant to hurt her. At least not intentionally.

He’d come to Chicago as a soldier obeying orders. And like her he’d been knocked off guard by the power of their mating.

Could she truly blame him for being reluctant to confess the truth?

Not that she didn’t intend to keep his blunder as ammunition to pull out whenever she screwed up. It was almost like having a Get Out of Jail Free card, she decided.

“You swear never to lie to me again?”

She could feel the tension drain from him at her question, a small smile curving his lips.

“I swear I will never ever give you a reason to regret trusting in me,” he hedged, knowing better than to make a promise he could never keep.

A Were who could be trained.

A good sign.

“And you won’t interfere when I kick Salvatore’s furry ass?”

“He is my king, but you ...” The dark gaze seared over her face, his steadfast love burning like a beacon. “You are my mate.”

“Smart Were,” she whispered, a delicious warmth spilling through her as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Maybe you should remind me why that’s a good thing.”

“With pleasure.” He pressed her back against the pillows, his lips tracing a path of erotic fire down the curve of her neck. “For both of us.”‘