Valentino’s POV
She jerked around. Hard and fast. Eyes filled with shock were piercing mine. This closer, I could literally hear the erratic beating of her heart. . For a moment, she searched my face whether I was joking but something in her demeanor told me that she already knew.
Her throat bobbed as she swallowed hard and digested the information. She nodded slowly and then her eyebrows dipped lower as she thought for a few seconds and then asked, “Are you here to hurt me?”
The question itself was a blow to my heart. My wolf growled just at the thought. I wanted to touch her, whether to soothe her or myself was another question. But I stayed still and whispered through clenched teeth, “I’d prefer death over doing such a thing.”
She sucked in a sharp breath. I was aware of the rise an
