Roses & Rye (Toil & Trouble Book 3) Read Free

them, soft and pliable. But seconds later, she’s kissing me back. Fiercely. Even in her sleep, even with all that’s gone between us, she still wants me. That’s why I keep coming back. Sick as it is, I have to know. Relief nearly buckles my knees as she wraps those arms around me.
    Like fire licking up the long line of a fuse, heat traces its way down my spine. Before Seph, physical response was something I hadn't felt in so long, I'd almost forgotten the signs. Almost. She woke me back up. In every possible way.
    I can’t go back to sleep. I should hate her for it, because Jack Frost without his icy veneer won’t last long in this world. I haven’t saved either of us yet—not really—and I don’t know if I ever will.
    I kiss her harder, groaning when her tongue slides against mine. I want to shake her awake, to pull her into my arms and tell her it was all a lie, those last few minutes between us. When I shut that door and walked away. If I do that, though, she’s dead. I might as well have strangled her with my own two hands that night, just like I was supposed to.
    I pull away, as slowly as I can, dragging it out even though that makes it hurt more. I’m already counting the days until I can come back. Her voice stops me before I can turn away.
    “Jack?” she murmurs sleepily, a half smile on her lips, her eyes still closed. My chest tightens until it feels like it’s going to crack in two. Then that smile fades and a flash of pain darkens her face.
    I let the wind pull me away before she wakes up completely, but I stay close enough to watch. To see her sit up and look around wildly, her fingers going to her lips, before she scrubs the taste of me away. Seph stares up at the stars, and I can hear her cursing her stupid dreams under her breath as she sends the hammock swinging with one impatient foot.
    “Fuck you, Jack Frost,” she mutters distinctly, making me smile as she flips off the star-dotted sky with one hand. Minutes later, she curls onto her side and goes back to sleep.
    I force myself to leave yet again, wondering if this is ever going to get any easier.
    Already knowing it never will.

Just over one year ago…
     
    There has to be a way out of this. A way that doesn’t include him .
    But I’ve studied every angle and I can’t see it. Between Cerunnos in sight of reaching his other goals and the rest of the Dark Council’s threat to put a bounty on Seph, I’m out of options. I can’t chance being caught looking out for her, so I need someone who can. Hence the bruin in front of me.
    Kivistö stares, his expression somewhere between shock and suspicion.
    I shrug. “I thought you should know the truth about the witch you’ve cozied up with.” I keep the bitterness from my tone. At least I think I do. I’ve seen them together. Seph and Georg. It’s not like I haven’t seen her with other men, but he’s the one that really rankles. I always knew the bruin wanted her, knew he’d jump right in when I was gone.
    I’ve no fucking right to be jealous, I know this. But I am . All the way to the icy marrow of my bones. I ache to kill the bruin for putting his hands on what’s mine. But I can’t. I need him.
    Seph needs him.
    “That prophecy?” He snorts. “It’s been around for centuries. It’s bullshit.”
    “It’s not bullshit, Kivistö. They confirmed it ages ago, but now they’re preparing to strike. The Dark Council is done playing nice. You know who leads them and what he’s capable of. You want to keep your toy, you best keep an eye on it.”
    “She’s not a toy.” His eyes gleam gold in the growing darkness.
    “If you say so. She was pretty amusing to me.” The growl gives him away but even so I barely dodge the huge fist he sends at my head. Maybe I want to be hit. Maybe I want an excuse.
    I shake myself and move out of range. “Just keep her close if you care about her at all.”
    “Why, Frost? You’re one of them, so why warn me? You never cared about her, it