Nikki

“No one feels like you do, so every brush of your skin is a cruel reminder of what I’ve lost. I can barely stand the sight of you because you’re more beautiful than I’ve allowed myself to remember, and when I cut that wire off Maximus and smelled you all over him, I wanted to kill him more than I’ve wanted to kill anyone in my life, yet I couldn’t because of my promise to you.”

Slow tears continued to trickle down my cheeks, but for a different reason this time.

“You care.”

The words were whispered with a despairing sort of wonder. He wasn’t willing to rescind his loveless vow, clearly, but I was wrong about the apathy I’d thought he felt. That he admitted all the above was surprising enough; the fact he’d done it within earshot of his pilots was no less than shocking.

Vlad grunted. “Don’t worry. I intend to kill them as soon as we land.”
― Jeaniene Frost, Twice Tempted

“You should be afraid. Very afraid. Before, I told you if you wanted to end things between us, I would let you go, but, Leila"--his voice deepened--"I lied.”
― Jeaniene Frost, Twice Tempted

“He’d wanted all of me and that’s what I’d given him. Did it mean I had nothing left?
“No,” he muttered, voice thick with passion. “You have me, and I love you.”
― Jeaniene Frost, Twice Tempted

“This wasn't the first time I'd woken up as a captive. It wasn't even the second. I so needed to reevaluate my life choices.”
― Jeaniene Frost, Twice Tempted