Butcher & Blackbird (The Ruinous Love Trilogy, #1)

by Brynne Weaver

“Come on, Blackbird. I need some dragonman DP.”

“Sloane,” he says, his eyes soldered to my lips. My name is a whisper of salvation and suffering as he says it again. A thick swallow catches in Rowan’s throat. “I can’t lose you.” “Then you’d better kiss me,” I whisper back. Rowan meets my eyes. His hands warm my cheeks. We’re just a breath of space away from one another, and I know everything will change once his lips touch mine. And it’s true. Everything transforms with a kiss. Rowan’s lips are soft but the kiss is firm, as though there’s no room in his mind for doubt or uncertainty. He knows what he wants. Maybe he’s wanted it all along. Maybe I’m the only one who needed the time to come around.

“What are you doing?” I hiss. Rowan rests the handle of the ax against his shoulder and huffs before giving me a wink. “Getting revenge for hurting my girl, of course.” The hard edges of my heart melt a little with those words, and Rowan grins as though he can see it.

“You’re all the best things to me, Sloane. No matter how many bruises are in your heart or on your skin.”

“Something caught your eye, pretty boy?” I whisper. “Yes,” he says, his voice pained. “God, yes, Sloane. All of you.”

“I’m done running around this, Sloane. I’ve wanted you for four years. And you’re going to show me what I’ve been missing.”

She’s everywhere, in every drop of my blood, in every spark of thought, and I want to fucking destroy her for it. To shatter her just like she’s broken me. Because she brings me to my fucking knees. I want to ruin her so that she’s mine, my beautiful disaster. My wild creature. My goddess of chaos.

“You’re the worst. “You’ll love me someday.” One of my steps falters. Today is that day. Maybe yesterday too. And the day before that. Maybe for a while, in fact. I can’t tell exactly when it started, but I don’t think it will ever stop.

“You have never been unlovable. You were just waiting for someone who will love you for who you are, not for who they want you to be. I can do that, if you’ll let me.”