Midnight's Captive(76)

Yet, it rubbed him raw that she had gone with Jason. Magic or not.

It’s that she began to wonder if you told her the truth.

Charon hated when his conscience was right. Wallace had put doubts in her head, and Charon hadn’t told her everything when he had the chance.

“You can’t get past that I went with Jason. What was I supposed to have done?” she asked angrily.

He heard the bed creak and knew she had risen to her feet. Still he didn’t face her. He refused to see the pain and frustration in her beautiful green eyes anymore.

“They outnumbered me, Charon,” she said. “I was alone and scared. I was trying to figure out what happened at the cabin as well as why I all of a sudden had magic. What choice did I have?”

“You could’ve fought him. You have the magic to do it.” He knew as soon as the words left his mouth that wasn’t what he would have wanted for her.

She laughed wryly. “I don’t know the first thing about magic. I don’t even know how I used it the two times I did.”

“I know.”

“Then why are you so angry with me? You know I did the right thing.”

Charon fisted his hands at his sides to keep from turning and pulling her in his arms. “You believed him, Laura. After I told you what a monster he was, after I fought him to make sure you were kept safe. You believed him.”

“You didn’t tell me the entire truth.”

Charon whirled around to face her. “I didna know you were a Druid! If I had, you’d have known everything without me having to tell you.”

She raised a dark brow and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ve worked for you for two years. We were friends. I trusted you. Yet at the slightest mistake, you turn your back on me.”

“I’m no’ turning my back on you.”

“The hell you aren’t,” she ground out. Laura dropped her arms and took a deep breath. “You won’t admit you did wrong.”

“Because I didna. We have a code. No one who isna a Druid or a Warrior is to know about our world. It’s to keep everyone safe.”

She rolled her eyes. “And the fact Jason tried to kidnap me to get to you, and you knew he was coming after us, didn’t warrant me knowing the entire truth?”

“You wouldna have believed me.”

“I guess we’ll never know, will we? You didn’t trust me enough to find out.”

Charon had had enough. He sliced his hand through the air. “Enough! We can debate this later. Right now I’ve got to save my friends.”

“And what am I to do?”

“Will you stay here? Until I return. I willna be gone long.”

She cocked her head to the side, her wealth of dark hair falling seductively over her shoulder. “You want me to stay here? In a place where you don’t trust me to go outside of this room because I might be working with Jason?”

“Aye.” He clenched his jaw when she gave a snort of annoyance. “I can no’ take you with me, Laura. Inside this castle you’ll be safe. I need to know you’re safe from Wallace.”

An expression of genuine disbelief crossed her face. “Why?”

Before Charon could stop himself, he pulled her into his arms, his lips descending on hers. To his surprise, she didn’t turn away. Instead, she opened for his kiss.

He groaned when her hands slid up his chest and wrapped around his neck. Charon knew kissing her was wrong, especially when he wasn’t sure of her loyalties.

But when it came to Laura, he was powerless to deny his body what it craved. He knew there was a chance she wouldn’t stay at the castle when he left. The only way to ensure she did was by locking her in the dungeon, which he refused to do.

Knowing this might be the last time he held her, Charon deepened the kiss. She tasted of seduction, pure unadulterated female at her finest.

His blood burned with need, and his cock ached, it was so hard for her. It would be easy to give in to his desire and lay her back on the bed. But his friends needed him.

Charon reluctantly ended the kiss. He bit back a groan when he saw Laura’s kiss-swollen lips. Her moss green eyes were dazed as she stared up at him.

“I wish there was more time,” he whispered, and rested his forehead against hers. “Please stay here. If for no other reason than I asked you to.”

He didn’t expect her to reply, and when the silence stretched between them, Charon knew it was time to leave. He dropped his arms from around her and took a step back.

She met his gaze, but he was unable to read her emotions. With a nod, Charon turned on his heel and walked out of the chamber. With every step away from her, a little piece of him died.