“I might have loved you once. But now I think I hate you.” Nik gave no warning, no hesitation, as he closed the gap between them. His hands took her face, and his lips crashed to hers. Tauria answered to it. Spirits be damned, she did. She couldn’t stop the response of her body as it came alive with his touch. He pulled away abruptly, eyes wild and blazing. “Say that again. But say it like you mean it, Tauria.” They stared off in challenge as he held her still, matching hard breaths of anguish. “I hate you, Nikalias.” “Not convincing enough.”
