Page 81 of Her Dark Promise

My body hummed with rage I hadn’t felt since I found Emilia. My entire body was on fire. I couldn’t sit still, so I paced.

“What did Bastian do?” Callum asked once more, this time more insistent.

I turned back toward him. “I’m going to kill him, Callum. I am going to fucking kill him.”

“You can’t kill him. He didn’t fit the criteria which is why you kept him in the first place.”

“You think I don’t fucking know that!” I snarled.

“Is this about what he did on the battlement?” Callum asked. “I promise that I will keep a closer eye on him.”

“It’s not about that. He can kill himself if he is so inclined.”

Once the words left my lips, I knew they weren’t true. The thought of him never glaring at me, never calling me witch, or the constant barrage of insults made something within me shatter.

Callum sighed and stepped forward, hands reaching for me again.

I took a step back. “I said not tonight.”

He shook his head, giving me a small smile. “I know.”

He walked back toward the bed and put his trousers back on. I cocked my head to the side, unsure of what he planned next when he sat down on the edge of the bed and beckoned me.

I narrowed my eyes and slowly walked toward him, and he gave me a small reassuring smile. I stood in front of him.

“Arms up, your grace.” Not necessarily a demand, but I obliged him all the same.

I lifted my arms and he slid his shirt over my head and through my arms, the bottom of the shirt stopping at my knees. His smile grew wider as this was the first time he was seeing me wearing his shirt. He spun me around and pushed me down until I was sitting on the edge of the bed between his legs.

Before I could ask any questions, his hands squeezed my shoulders in a way that made me sigh.

“This is called a massage. Please just relax into my touch and let me take your mind off of everything.”

I didn’t answer him, and I tried to do what he requested, forgetting about Bastian and his stupidity. I closed my eyes to focus on just his hands, and in a matter of moments, I could feel myself relaxing, leaning into his touch. Rested my head against his front as I felt his hot breath against the side of my face.

I don’t think I had ever had a moment with Callum that didn’t lead to sex. Except for the other night when I found him sitting on the battlement. Or before that when I found him in slumber.

When did I start caring about anyone’s needs but my own?

Without opening my eyes I said, “Bastian needs to understand that this is all he has now.”

“If I may…”

“Yes?” I answered without opening my eyes.

“His entire life has been turned upside down in more ways than he could have imagined. Emilia and I chose you.” He sighed, pausing. “He simply needs time.”

“It seems like he and his brother are not on the best of terms. And Emilia won’t be near him. You are the only one left he has to turn to.”

He nodded. I knew he wanted to say more, but decided to continue massaging my arms.

I sighed. My anger and contempt over what Bastian had done had finally passed and all that was left was worry. What if Ihadn’t gotten to him in time? He would have died, and it would have been all my fault.

In the end, it was all your fault.

Shit.

I squeezed my eyes shut. “Go away.”

---