Darkest Sins (Perfectly Imperfect #9)

“I left him breathing.”

He says it so matter-of-factly, that I can’t help but laugh. “He made it through okay, then.”

“I believe so, yes. What about your friends? Can you rely on them when you need help?”

“Isn’t that what friends are for?”

“I guess. But you haven’t answered my question.”

“Friends are . . . complicated in my world.”

“And what world is that?”

“One that values status and social position above all else,” I say. “My father is a very important man. People always try to please him. So, when someone does something nice for me, I never know if they are being genuine, or if it’s only because of who my father is.”

“Yes. Actively or passively, parents impact their children’s lives,” he responds as his thumb sweeps the inside of my wrist, just above my pulse point.

“What about yours?” I ask.

“They died well before they could have a significant impact on me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’m not. Some people are not meant to have children.”

“What did they do?”

“Not a single thing.” He moves his gaze to the coat hanger just outside the exam room. “You’re wearing the scarf again.”

“Yes. I’ve become quite fond of it.” I turn my hand around so that our palms touch. “You said ‘unit member’ earlier. Are you in the military?”

“In a way,” he mumbles, his eyes cast downward, staring at our joined hands.

“What does that mean, ‘in a way’?”

“It means nothing is black and white, cub. There are just shades of gray.” He looks up and our gazes lock. “Except you.”

It’s becoming impossible to keep my breathing under control while he looks at me like this. As if I’m the only person in the world. “And what am I?”

“You, my tiger cub, are a ray of light in the absolute darkness my life has become and has been for a very long time.”

I suck in a breath, shaken by his words. No one ever said something like that to me.

“If you’d asked my name, you’d know how contrary it is to that sentiment,” I whisper. In Italian, Nera means “black.” But he couldn’t possibly know that since I never told him my name.

My demon cocks his head to the side, his eyes lowering to my lips. “Yes. But on the other hand, it also meanslight. Radiance. Or brightness.”

“And how do you know that?” My voice is barely audible now.

“I heard one of your friends say your name.”

I take a step closer so that I’m standing between his legs, our eyes are nearly level, and stroke the side of his chin, careful not to catch the cut on his cheek. “When?”

“A few weeks back. You were leaving a downtown boutique.”

Yes, I remember that day. I was keeping Dania company while she shopped for new boots. That pleasant shiver I’ve been associating with him was present the entire time, and I kept looking over my shoulder. “I didn’t see you.”

“I’m only seen when I want to be.”