Free Retribution by B. C. Burgess Page B

finally relaxed, and he quickly curled her into a ball and moved her to his chest. Once she was tucked in, he firmly wrapped his arms around her body and buried his face in her hair, kissing between deep breaths.
    Layla had surrendered yet again, but it wasn't like the time before. Yes, she still felt weak, but the shame of subservience wasn't there with this concession. Before, he'd sternly told her exactly how it would be while making it clear she had no choice, but this time, his demands came with heartfelt pleas and loving caresses. “Damn it, Quin. I have no leverage, and I don't like the way it feels.”
    “You have as much leverage as I do, and I'm not using mine right now.”
    “Yes you are.”
    “I'm not.”
    “You don't see it?”
    “Would you rather I not tell you what I need from you?”
    Her frustration paused as his words sank in. Then the frustration returned. “No. I would not prefer that.”
    “I did misuse your devotion earlier,” he admitted, “and I'm sorry. Maybe I should have gone about it differently. But this right here...” He squeezed tighter. “...this is something I need right now, and I don't consider this using my power against you.” He rubbed his face in her hair, kissing her head again. “I know you're hurting, and you can be mad at me, but I don't believe you really want to be mad all by yourself, so please let me hold you while you tell me how angry you are, and I tell you how sorry I am.”
    She huffed. Not because he was making her angry, but because he was making sense. The last thing she wanted was to move away from the most heavenly spot in the world. It would make her feel lonely and empty as well as sad and afraid. She swallowed the bitter taste of defeat. Then she released her aura and moved her hands to her face, catching a flood of tears.
    Quin released a heavy sigh when her aura flowed free, and he let her cry in silence for a long time. When her sobs turned to hiccups, he kissed her head and rubbed her back. “I'm sorry it has to be like this, love, and I'm sorry I handled the situation unfairly, but this is our best chance.”
    “What about everyone else, Quin? What about their chance?”
    “They want us to stay as much as we want to stay, and they're prepared to do whatever they can to make our stay safe. It's what they want, Layla. We're giving them what they want.”
    “And possibly taking their lives in return.”
    “We're going to do everything we can to keep that from happening.”
    “It's unfair.”
    “Yes.”
    “It's selfish.”
    “Yes.”
    “And it's all on my shoulders.”
    “No,” he disagreed, tightening his hold. “The blame rests on my shoulders. I made it so when I broke your heart.”
    Layla wiped her tears and stared at his chest, contemplating that last part. He'd made his demands intending to completely relieve her of guilt while giving her exactly what she wanted but wouldn't take. Damn it. Every bit of his demand was for her sake and her sake alone, even the fierceness with which it had been delivered, which, ultimately, was the fire to her fuse.
    Pressing her palms flat against his stomach, she touched her cheek to his heart. “What if I can convince you I could be happy hiding?”
    “You can't. I’d know you're lying.”
    “I can be happy, Quin. I'll stay just like this all the time, tucked away in my personal heaven until the day I die.”
    “No, Layla.”
    “You don't believe me?”
    “I do believe you're happy when you're in my arms, but I also know how much it would hurt you to leave our family. I saw it, Layla. I felt it. Your spirit was draining away right before my eyes, and I can't let that happen. You're a happy person. That's one of my favorite things about you, and there's no doubt in my mind that if I were to take you away from here, you’d change. I don't want despair changing you. I don't want you to lose the personality traits that make you so special, beautiful and bright.”
    She slowly rubbed her face