Now that she was facing him, Kat didn’t know what to say. She wanted to shake him, to demand he stop acting this way and admit his true feelings. But part of her was still shaken by the fight—or almost fight that had just occurred. Part of her was still the scared little girl, huddling in the corner, listening to hatred and insults fill the air and praying that the people she loved wouldn’t hit each other this time.
“Well?” Deep demanded and she realized she’d been standing there silent for too long.
“Don’t be this way.” She looked at him pleadingly. “Please, Deep. I…I know you care about me. And I know you love Lock—he’s your brother. Please don’t act like you don’t.”
He raised an eyebrow at her mockingly. “You think I care? How very touching. And, unfortunately, how very wrong.”
“You do care,” Kat insisted. “Why else would you take my pain? The scars on your back prove it.”
“They prove nothing, other than my honor as a warrior,” he snapped. “I couldn’t let a female whose safety I’d been charged with die. That is the only reason I did what I did. Nothing more.”
Kat felt herself freezing inside. Despite her outward self-confidence, she’d suffered a lot of rejection in her life. It was hard—incredibly hard—to stand there, insisting that a huge, gorgeous, muscular man who would have been dating a supermodel if he was human and lived on Earth—loved her. Especially when he was saying in no uncertain terms that he didn’t.
Still, she tried one more time.
“I know something bad happened to you in the past,” she said quietly, meeting his eyes.
“Oh you do, do you?” Deep’s black eyes blazed. He looked up at Lock. “Thank you, Brother, for revealing my most private and painful shame.”
“I said nothing,” Lock growled.
“I’m just saying that I know about it, not that I know any details or that I judge you for it,” Kat said hastily. “I was thinking that whatever it is, maybe it had something to do with the way you’re acting now.”
Deep shook his head. “What happened is in the past—over and forgotten. It has nothing to do with what I feel for you, little Kat.”
Kat lifted her chin, her heart pounding. “And what do you feel for me?”
Deep leaned down until they were almost close enough to kiss. Looking into her eyes, he murmured, “Nothing. I feel nothing for you.”
Kat sucked in a breath. It felt like someone had punched her in the gut and she couldn’t get enough air. “Oh,” she whispered.
Deep nodded and straightened up to his full height. “Are you satisfied now, sweetheart? Can I go?”
“You can go, all right.” Tears of pain and rage filled Kat’s eyes but she blinked them back fiercely. “Go straight to Hell!”
Deep winked at her. “I prefer the Unmated Males section. There are so many more…distractions there.”
“I don’t care where you go—as long as you’re back in time for our trip tomorrow.” Kat kept her voice steady though she wanted to sob. “So we can go get this damn bond cut once and for all.”
Deep grinned insolently. “I wouldn’t miss it.” He sauntered out of the bedroom and through the suite.
Kat held herself in until she heard the front door whoosh shut behind him. Then the tears came—tears of shame and pain and embarrassment. Tears of rejection that stung worse than all the others put together. He really doesn’t care. Doesn’t want me. Putting a hand over her mouth, she sobbed.
Lock was there suddenly, enfolding her in his arms and raining soft, consoling kisses on her hair. “Oh my lady,” he whispered brokenly. “I’m so sorry. So very sorry.”
“I shouldn’t let him get to me.” Kat blotted her eyes against the back of her hand. “But I feel so stupid. Liv kept saying tonight that maybe he was just afraid to love me or that he felt unworthy.” She shook her head. “I’m the unworthy one.”
“No, you’re not!” Lock took her face in his hands and looked at her earnestly. “You’re beautiful and intelligent and perfect. If only I could be free of him, I would bond you to me as quickly as I could. If you’d have me, that is.”
Kat sniffed and straightened up. “Thank you, Lock. I wish I could,” she whispered. “But I can’t be with a man who doesn’t want me and there’s no way to separate the two of you. I’m sorry.”
A look of sorrow passed over Lock’s face. “Will you let me hold you tonight, at least?” he asked softly. “Since tonight is the last night I’ll ever be able to do so?”