Page 97 of Twilight of Embers
“Another kind of tether?”
I nodded. “A soul tether. We could break it if you wanted, but it would be painful for all parties involved.”
Hayden looked up at me, her violet eyes shining. “I don’t want you to break it.”
Relief swept through me. “Good. Because I think it would kill me to walk away from you, Little Flame.” Her stomach rumbled again, and I laughed. “Let’s get you some food.”
I hurried to dress in jeans and a Henley. I should’ve showered—my brothers would scent Hayden and sex all over me—but I couldn’t. I needed her scent with me to calm me.
Once I was dressed, I took Hayden’s hand and led her out into the hall toward the dining room. Voices sounded, and I knew we were the last to arrive. As we stepped inside, everyone stopped.
Cáel’s lips twitched as he took us in. He stood, crossing to kiss Hayden quickly. “Morning.”
“Morning,” she mumbled, blushing that pretty pink.
He grabbed her hand and lifted it, exposing the faint marks from the rope. He glanced at me. “Have a good night, brother?”
Silverware clattered to a plate, and Maddox shoved back from the table and stormed out of the room.
Hayden paled. “I should go—”
I shook my head. “Let Mad get himself under control.”
She pulled her hand free from my grasp. “No. I need to talk to him.”
I tried to follow her, but Cáel placed a hand on my chest, stopping me.
“Let her go,” he said. “She might be the only one who can get through his thick skull.”
I glanced down the hallway, worry digging deep. Maddox was so lost in his martyrdom that I wasn’t sure there was a force on this Earth that could bring him out.
48
HAYDEN
I hurried down the hallway, just catching sight of Maddox as he stormed up the stairs. I jogged after him, my heart beating faster with each step. A door slammed up ahead. The sound vibrated through the air, hitting me in waves.
Slowing in front of the closed door, I bit the inside of my cheek. The message was loud and clear: Do not enter. But I took a deep breath and reached for the doorknob.
Opening the door, I stepped inside and had to fight my gasp. The bedroom was huge, and three of the four walls were floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. And they were jam-packed with books of all kinds.
My gaze swept over the spines. There was everything from thriller fiction to science textbooks. I wanted to pour over each one to try to learn more about Maddox.
“Go away, Hayden,” he growled from his spot at a massive window. But he didn’t bother to look at me. He simply stared out at the surrounding forests.
I didn’t leave. I shut the door behind me and crossed toward him. “Talk to me.”
A muscle in Maddox’s cheek fluttered. “Don’t feel much like talking.”
“But you do feel like making a scene,” I challenged. “If you really didn’t want someone to come after you, you would’ve made some excuse about why you needed to leave breakfast rather than storming out.”
Maddox’s eyes flashed gold. “Maybe I didn’t want to sit around while Cillian threw it in our faces that he’d fucked you six ways from Sunday. You think we can’t smell it on him? On you?”
“Smell it?” I squeaked.
“We’re half beast, Hayden. All our senses are heightened. Just like I can feel your panic right now.”
Oh, hell. There’d be no hiding anything from these men.
