Hexed (Never After, #6)

by Emily McIntire

“You’re a man, honey. I’m afraid there’s nothing special about any of you.” Grinning, I step closer, and the space between us hums like a string being plucked until it vibrates a deep, dark note. “Sounds like you haven’t met the right man.” She smiles back, and her eyes dance with mirth. “Sounds like something the wrong man would say.”

“It was my favorite day of the year, though.” “Because it was your birthday?” “Because for that one day, my momma loved me out loud.”

Because fuck her if she thinks I’ll allow her to disappear with another man on her arm when she came here with me.

Weak men always let their dicks do the thinking, and strong women know how to take advantage of that.

“Just because something looks like freedom doesn’t mean it’s not a cage.”

Attachments. Liking someone. I’ve seen what happens when you latch on to someone else, when you make them your entire personality and let them slowly chip away at who you are until you’d do anything for them…even if it’s at the expense of yourself.

Bas sighs, dog-earing the page in his book and closing it, setting it down on the table. “It was.” My eyes widen in horror. “What?” He straightens like he needs to be on guard. “What do you mean ‘what?’ How could you do that?” He rubs at his jaw, his brows drawing down in confusion. “Do what?” “That.” I gesture at the book. “Get a bookmark, good lord. Were you raised in a barn?” “Oh,” he replies, picking the book back up and flipping it open. “You mean this?” He takes another page and slowly, torturously, curls over the top part of the paper.