A Strange Hymn (The Bargainer Book 2)

“No wonder you’ve been hiding her,” he says, stopping in front of us.

I glance between the two men, not sure whether I should be offended or not. I’m suddenly, painfully aware of my wings. The training leathers I’m sweating through don’t help either.

“He hasn’t been hiding me,” I say.

Self-conscious or not, I haven’t come all this way to allow someone to make me feel bad about myself.

There is nothing that defangs a woman quite like being called beautiful

Seven years apart,” he continues, “and the woman you became was a world away from the girl I met.” He tilts my head so that he can look me in the eye. “That only made me want you more. You were both old and new, familiar and exotic, within reach and forbidden. And I wanted you so badly for so long I was sure it would kill me.
“And when I look at you even now—especially now—I see one simple truth.”
He stops speaking.
I sit up a little. “What was the truth?”
In the darkness, I can see him staring back down at me. “You are magic, love.”

You were everything I never knew I wanted. You were chaos. You were desperation. You were the most mysterious secret I’d ever come across. Everything about you drew me in—your innocence, your vulnerability, hell, even your tragic life. You were the most captivating creature I’d ever come across.”

We are lovers and old friends and strangers all at once

Self-conscious or not, I haven’t come all this way to allow someone to make me feel bad about myself

That I cherish every broken bit of him

The only thing I hate worse than feeling like a victim is airing my insecurities. Normally all that emotional armor I don hides them—sometimes so deep I forget they’re there

I’m not going anywhere with either of you,” I say. Not after yesterday’s events.
Mara gives me an incredulous look. “Excuse me?”
“I didn’t stutter,” I say.

Phaedron shakes his head. “He waited until you gave him permission before he got up to talk. And since you two entered