Page 108 of Legion
Her eyes narrowed slightly.“What makes you think that?”
“You’re not a person who seeks to control others.It may comfort you to know that you can use such a gift in your own defense, but you wouldn’t get pleasure from it.”
“You say that with certainty.”
“If I was wrong, you’d be stealing people’s wills all the time to get whatever you want out of life.You don’t do that.Nor do you battle for control in or out of bed.It just isn’t something that feeds any part of you.”
Naomi stared at him, thinking he knew her too well; realizing that she no longer felt uncomfortable with it.Nothing inside her tensed or bristled, and she felt no reflexive urge to pull inward.They were past that now.He’d accepted all she’d hid from him, and that meant everything to not only her but her entity.“Whereas you very much like to control those around you.”
“I do.”An easy, unapologetic agreement.
“You like to see them bend to your will.”
He kissed his way down her throat.“Bend.Crumble.Break.”He nipped her pulse.“I like it when you shatter for me.”
“I like it when you make me shatter.You’re rather good at it, as I’m sure you’re well aware.All the ladies in your past no doubt made it clear.”Hoes.
Okay, so that was harsh—they were probably lovely.It was just hard to think of them in a positive light when they’d touched her mate.Her entity would happily set them on fire.
“You said that your demons made relationships difficult, so flings are just easier,” she recalled.“Have you ever been in a real relationship?”
Another nip to her pulse.“No.”
“So you never came close to taking a mate?”
He met her gaze again.“There was a time when my father wanted me to take another crime boss’s daughter as my mate.Since I couldn’t imagine ever really committing to someone in a meaningful way, I contemplated it and agreed to meet with her.Things never went further than that, though.”
“Why not?”
“I didn’t like her.Neither did Abraxas.Dagon found her incredibly boring.Belial had no interest in her, and was very put off by sensing she had a masochistic streak.”
Naomi felt her brows draw together.“But ...Belial is sadistic.”
“Too sadistic to find satisfaction in doling out pain to those who’d enjoy it.”
“Oh,” she breathed.It was only then that she realized ...“It leaves all these injury-themed brands on me because it knows that I find it annoying.”
His lips twitched.“Any kind of suffering feeds it—even emotional suffering.But it doesn’t want to see you hurt or angry.It’ll settle for irritation.”
“I should really just kick it or something.”
Luka’s smile hitched up a notch.“Now you’re just amusing it.”
Hmm, no doubt.
“You didn’t agree to my request before,” he noted, his gaze snaring hers.“Move in with me,” he urged in a whisper that was somehow both coaxing and forceful.“We could live in your house if it’s what you really want, but as I said before, you’ll be safer here.I’d prefer that we make this our home.Or we could find somewhere else; choose a place that is equally secure—whatever you want.The important thing to me is that we don’t live apart.”
She wasn’t particularly attached to her house, only her workroom.Butthisroom ...yes, she could see herself setting up a workspace here.Could see herself living in this house, where she knewhe’dbe safest.
As Tobe liked to point out, Luka had many enemies.Her home was nowhere near as secure as this place.The harder it was for anyone to get to him, the better.Her safety was his priority, and that went both ways.
So she let her lips curve as she murmured, “Okay, I’ll move in here.”
Satisfaction lit his eyes, and his own mouth winged up.“Just what I wanted to hear.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“I’m just so fucking thrilled that you and Luka took the plunge,” said Ella the following Friday as she slid clothes hangers back and forth on a metal rail, filling the air with clicks and clacks.“I originally found it hard to envision him committing to anyone, but when I saw him with you ...I don’t know, I just got a vibe that there was potential there.”
