21. Sina
I stopped right in front of him, close enough to feel the warmth coming off his flushed skin. Up close, he looked even bigger. Even more dangerous than I remembered.
“Kiron.”
His pitch-black eyes flicked to mine. I’d seriously never seen brown eyes that dark before.
They were like obsidian stones. But that didn’t diminish the storm I saw him waging all on his own.
I hesitated for only half a second. Then I reached out.
My fingers brushed the warm, bare skin of his cheek, his stubble scraping against my palm.
He inhaled sharply, nostrils flaring. But he didn’t push my hand away.
Instead, he leaned down slightly, like he was giving me better access.
Movement behind me had his body going rigid again.
His eyes shifted past me, over my shoulder, and something in his face hardened.
The tension in his shoulders pulled tight, like a rubber band stretched to its limit.
I wasn’t sure why he was triggered, but for whatever reason, he saw them as a threat.
“Hey, Kiron . Look at me.”
His nostrils flared, and a deep rumble vibrated in his chest, but he wouldn’t take his eyes off whoever stood just behind me. The air shifted. Heavy and sharp, like right before a fight breaks out.
“He isn’t going to hurt me,” I said quietly, not taking my eyes off Kiron. “ Back. Off .”
Silence.
“Sina…” Harlow warned, low and serious. “You don’t know that.”
Hearing him sound like that should have made me step away in fear.
But Harlow was wrong. I did know he wouldn’t hurt me.
The man in front of me wasn’t looking at me like prey.
Trust me. I knew that look all too well.
No . Kiron was looking at me like I was something he needed to protect.
Even if his judgment was misplaced. Even if he thought he was protecting me from Nik and Harlow.
“He won’t, Harlow. Trust me. ”
I wasn’t even sure how I knew for certain .
I just did . Kiron wouldn’t hurt me. My heart pounded hard enough I could feel it in my head as I tried to think of how to pull him back from whatever dark place he was teetering on the edge of.
Talking wasn’t working. Touch had helped, but it wasn’t enough.
So I did the only thing I could think of.
I went up on my tiptoes and pressed my lips to the corner of his mouth.
He was so damn tall that even bent forward slightly, I couldn’t quite reach him fully.
My mouth barely brushed the rough edge of his stubble, the warmth of his skin, the faint taste of him.
It wasn’t really a kiss. It was a whisper of one.
A promise of one. It still sent a shiver straight through me.
Kiron growled. The sound was low and animalistic, something I was quickly realizing he did often, and it vibrated through his chest and into mine.
His large hand slid to my hip, firm and possessive, while the other came up to the back of my neck, fingers threading into my hair.
He tugged gently, angling my head back just enough to give him access.
His lips found mine. Soft at first. Feather-light.
Like he was testing himself. Taking small, careful sips of my mouth instead of claiming it outright.
I melted instantly. His tongue traced a slow path along my jaw, down the sensitive skin of my neck, before returning to my lips.
I moaned, completely caught in the contrast—soft touches paired with the rough scrape of his beard, the heat of him everywhere.
Then his restraint snapped.
He captured my mouth again, hard and demanding this time, his tongue tangling with mine as if he’d finally decided he’d waited long enough. I pushed up on my toes again, desperate to stay close, my hands sliding over his back and broad shoulders, warm, smooth skin under my palms .
By the time he pulled away, we were both breathing hard. I swayed when he let me go. My fingers touch my lips lightly. I was flushed, shaken, so turned on it startled me. If he’d pressed me back against the counter or the floor or the wall, I would have let him. No hesitation. No shame.
Even with the others watching.
Kiron smirked like he knew exactly where my thoughts had gone.
He rested his forehead against mine, his arms coming around me fully now—protective, grounding, gentle in a way that didn’t match the feral edge he’d just shown me.
He inhaled deeply, like he was anchoring himself to my scent, my presence.
“Sina,” he said quietly. Then, softer. Rougher. “I’m sorry.”
The pain in his voice hit me like ice water, cutting straight through the heat still humming under my skin.
His apology didn’t make sense with the way his hands still held me—careful, like I was something breakable, something precious.
No one had ever held me like this. The heat between us hadn’t vanished, but it shifted, turning from wildfire into something deeper.
He kept his forehead against mine, eyes closed now, breathing slow and deliberate like he was trying to wrestle himself back into control.
“For what? What do you have to be sorry for?” I whispered, finally finding my voice.
His jaw flexed under my fingers. I hadn’t even realized I was still touching his cheek until my thumb brushed along the edge of his lips again. His arms tightened just slightly, not trapping me, just… needing the contact. Trust me, the feeling was mutual.
“I'm sorry for almost losing it. I didn’t know you were here and I don’t know… I thought—” he shook his head. Like maybe he wasn’t sure what triggered him.
“It’s okay. You didn't hurt anyone. That's what matters. ”
“I’m sorry if I scared you.”
“You didn’t, Kiron,” I said, and I meant it.
His eyes opened at that, dark and searching, like he was trying to find any hint of a lie. Whatever he saw must have steadied him, because some of the tightness in his shoulders eased.
“You should have been terrified,” he sounded pained and it tugged at this spot in my heart I didn’t fully understand.
“Maybe. But I wasn’t. I’m not afraid of you. ”
One corner of his mouth twitched. Not quite a smile. His hand flexed once at my waist before he forced it to loosen. Kiron looked over my shoulder, and something like shame passed over his face. “Nik… I’m sorry.”
I turned slightly at that, confused, but Nikolai didn’t look angry. Instead, he stepped forward—calm as ever, that steady presence of his settling over the room like an anchor.
“Your apology isn’t needed, my friend.” Nik clapped a firm hand on Kiron’s shoulder and squeezed once. Supportive. Not reprimanding, like I’d expected. “I agree with Sina. You controlled yourself. That’s all that matters.”
His eyes held Kiron’s a second longer, something unspoken passing between them. Trust . It struck me then how easily they read each other. How quickly they shifted from ready-to-fight Kiron to steady supporting him. I’d never had anyone like that in my life. No guilting him or shame.
Harlow snorted, pushing himself off the counter. “Look at that. My bestie and my brother are getting along. Somebody take a picture.”
“Hey, Harlow,” Nik said without missing a beat. “Shut up.”
Everyone laughed. Harlow gave me a wink, like he wanted me to know he didn’t take it personally, then slapped Kiron on the shoulder—far more playfully than Nik had.
“ Watch it ,” Kiron growled, but there was no real heat in the words .
From the living room archway, Rafe stepped forward quietly, a stack of plates and cutlery balanced in his hands, like he’d been waiting for the storm to pass before reentering. Nik gave him the smallest nod, and Rafe visibly relaxed, leading the way into the dining room.
“Thank you, Sina,” Nik said gently, his gaze meeting mine before shifting to the others. “Let’s eat.”
I nodded but didn’t say anything.
What was I supposed to say?
I hadn’t calmed Kiron down for them. I’d done it for him .
Because Kiron had needed me. And just like he’d stepped in for me, I wanted to return the favor.
Kiron’s hand slid from my waist but lingered at the small of my back.
Harlow fell into step on my other side, still smirking.
I rolled my eyes and watched Rafe start setting the table.
“Need any help, Rafe?”
He glanced up at me and smiled, nodding toward the napkins. I reached for them without hesitation. And for the first time since I’d got here, I was happy I'd come.