Page 33 of Legion
And Iain knew that well.
He’d been here before.He’d experienced the kind of suffering that would deter anyone from breaking rules or ignoring orders again.But threats of pain or not, demons weren’t easy to control—hence why Primes couldn’t afford to be merciful.
Iain skirted the old bloodstains on the stone floor as he came to the front of the cell.“I understand why you are angry with me.But I did what I did out of love.”
A snort popped out of Mikhail, and Nikandr dragged a disbelieving palm down his face.
“It’s true,” maintained Iain, curling his hands around the iron bars, his expression a plea for mercy.
“It wouldn’t matter either way,” said Luka, “because this isn’t about what you do or don’t feel for Naomi.It’s that you discounted my order to stay away from her.”
“No, Ididstay away from her.”
“Temporarily.That wasn’t what I ordered you to do, was it?Was it?”
Iain squeezed his eyes shut.“No.”
“No.What did I instruct you to do?”
Exhaling a low sigh, he met Luka’s gaze.“Leave Naomi be.”
“Leave her be.Make no attempt to contact her.Stay out of her life.”Luka arched a brow.“Did you obey me?”
“No.But it’s not as if I hurt her.”
“So I should just overlook your behavior?I should excuse your actions?”
Iain mashed his lips together for a long moment.“You would understand if you’d ever felt for anyone what I feel for her,” he burst out.
“Maybe.But you would still be punished.Because you disregarded not only my orders but Naomi’s wishes.”Luka should have made it public that he and Naomi were involved.Announcing his private business wasn’t something he generally did.If he had, if his claim to her had been common knowledge, just maybe Iain would have done as ordered.
Or maybe it would have provoked the psi-demon to do exactly what he’d already done.
“I just want her tolistento me,” Iain claimed.“Nobody is listening.”
“It’s you who’s failing to hear people.I mentioned that already.”And Luka was fucking tired of repeating himself.“It’s going to take you a few days to recover both mentally and physically from what I’m about to do.I won’t be releasing you right away, though.I think it might be best to keep you here until Naomi’s song has worn off.”
Iain’s eyes went wide.“What?No.”He let go of the cell bars and backed up.
“If you don’t get better, the situation will escalate.You could harm her in your frustration at being unable to own her.I can’t have that.Iwon’thave that.Naomi’s mine.”
Iain’s head jerked back.“What do you mean, yours?”
“Exactly what I said.”It was time Luka made it clear.His entities were in firm agreement on that.
The psi-demon shook his head hard and fast in denial.“No.No, she’s not—”
“In my metaphorical bed?Oh, she is.”
Lines of jealousy creased Iain’s face.
“And I will never allow any harm to come to what’s mine,” Luka added.“You ...you’rea threat to her.”
“I would never hurt her.”
“Says every stalker ever.That’s what you’ve become, Iain.Part of why you went to see her today is that you can’t cope with the idea that you might not be on her mind.”
“That’s not true.”
