The door creaked open, and Nikhail stood in the threshold. He wore a pair of black slacks, a white dress shirt, and a loose navy tie that was hanging around his neck. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and by the Sands, his forearms had no right being so attractive. He held two black mugs, one in each hand, and his lips hitched up when he saw her.
Those amber eyes of his smoldered, the look meant to draw her in. Too bad he was strictly off-limits. She dug her fingers into the mattress, reminding herself that she could look at him, but she couldn’t touch him. Couldn’t have him.
It wasn’t just because he was her brother’s best friend, although that certainly was a contributing factor. Long ago,River had decided that she wasn’t fit for relationships. Allowing herself to get close to people was dangerous.
Not for her, but for them.
Last night was the perfect example. Her curse was destructive and unpredictable. One slip-up, one moment where she lost control, and she could hurt the people she cared about. She could kill them. That wasn’t something she could live with. Especially if that someone was Nikhail. Hurting anyone would be awful, but if it were him…
No.
The word echoed through River’s mind, and she sucked in a breath, forcing herself to turn away from those thoughts. She couldn’t think about that, couldn’t let herself ruminate on the danger of what coursed through her veins. Doing so would lead to nothing good.
As if he knew that panic was currently sweeping through River’s mind, Nikhail stepped into the room.
“Morning.” His deep voice sent bolts of heat past River’s navel, and she had to remind her treacherous body that this man was forbidden.
“Morning, Nik.” She looked around the room, her gaze landing anywhere but on him. She wasn’t entirely sure how to tackle the question of her sleeping arrangement—how did one politely ask,Why am I in your bed?—so she decided to skip right over it. “Thank you for helping me last night.” She met his gaze, digging her fingers into the comforter. “If you hadn’t been there…”
Endless, turbulent waves. Screams. Magic, pouring from her veins.
And death.
So much death. Countless lives lost. Souls that came to anuntimely end because she lost control, and her magic went into a frenzy.
Even though River had expelled an enormous amount of power last night, her magic was still slumbering within her. It was a beast that never hibernated, a candle that could not be extinguished. It was always there. Always watching. Always waiting.
A familiar sense of unease stirred within River as she studied her magic. The curse stretched its watery limbs, testing the walls of the dam she’d shoved it behind last night after calming the storm. Frowning, she added more bricks, rebuilding the barrier as best she could.
My magic does not control me. It is a tool I’ve been given. I control it.
The mantra held more power today than it had last night, and her magic settled.
Nikhail’s long legs ate up the distance between the door and the bed. He moved with a grace that she’d rarely seen, even among fae. “Helping you was my pleasure, River.”
A shiver crawled down her spine at the sound of her name from his mouth. Gods, it sounded so good. Like it belonged there. Between his forearms, amazing scent, and now this, the universe was surely testing her resolve to keep Nikhail at arm’s length.
Unaware of where her mind had gone, which was probably a good thing, he extended a mug towards her. “Coffee?”
“Gods, yes, please.” She sounded desperate, but what was desperation when caffeine was being offered? This was exactly what she needed. Coffee made her feel normal, which was a sensation she rarely enjoyed.
River took the proffered mug,her brows raising at the milky brown liquid. It wasn’t too dark or too light. She took a sip, and it was…
“Perfect.” She couldn’t keep the shock from her voice, even if she tried. The coffee wasn’t too hot or too cold, nor was it too bitter or too sweet. “I couldn’t have made it better myself.”
Nikhail pulled over a chair and sat next to the bed. Placing one leg on the ground, he crossed the other and rested his ankle on his knee.
He shrugged. “I noticed what you drank the last time we had breakfast at Ryker and Brynleigh’s.”
Her gaze dropped to the brown liquid, then returned to his. “But that was months ago.”
The Summer Solstice, to be exact. The married couple had hosted a small weekend get-together at their new home. It had been a housewarming of sorts, a small party with them, River, Nikhail, Ryker’s other best friend, Atlas, and another couple from the Choosing, Hallie and Therian Firebreath.
Ryker and Brynleigh’s new property was on the edge of Golden City. It boasted a hundred-year-old farmhouse on several treed acres so Marlowe, their dog, could run freely. The home was close enough to the base that Ryker had an easy commute, but it wasn’t in the thick of the city.
They’d eaten dinner, watched several sports games, and enjoyed brunch when they woke late the next morning.
Nikhail raked a hand through his black hair, shifting in his seat. “It’s not a big deal.”