Page 21 of Dark Embers

I waited a few breaths for him to elaborate, but all he did was straighten his shirt over the top of his pants and continue to glare down at the ground. The angry look on his face turned my hurt into indignation.

What was he talking about? Not strong enough for what?

“What the hell does that even mean, Tobias?” I asked, my tone growing heavier and snappier with my rising anger.

A scowl lowered on his brow, and he crossed his arms, closing himself off to me completely.

I got up off the ground and stalked toward him, planting myself right in his face.

“Look at me,” I ordered.

I stared at his stupid handsome face, watching as he slowly raised his gaze up to meet mine. His amber eyes were completely devoid of the heat I’d come to know so well. They might as well be the tepid stones they resembled.

“Why are you pulling away from me?” I demanded, softening my tone at the end. “Did I do something?”

His features smoothed slightly, then pinched once more, either in desperation or irritation, I couldn’t tell. “No. You didn’t do anything. I’m just notgoodfor you.”

He averted his gaze again like it was painful to keep looking at me. But all I could do was stare at him, trying to read some secret on his face that he wasn’t saying.

I thought about all the times we’d gotten close, only for him to push me away and then act like a jealous asshole when someone else got close to me.

“Is that what all this hot-and-cold is about?” I asked snidely, placing my hands obstinately on my hips. “Because you think you’re notgoodfor me? Who said you get to decide that for me? I’m a big girl, Tobias. I can make my own choices and face the consequences.”

He shook his head. “You don’t understand. I’m not good for anyone.”

I crossed my arms, mirroring his stance but with far more attitude, and pushed my tongue into my cheek. “So what, then? You’re just going to keep playing yo-yo with me until you figure out whether or not that matters? I’m not some bimbo you can string along while you ‘find yourself’ or whatever the hell it is you’re doing.”

His eyes met mine, somehow pleading and refusing all at the same time. “I’m not trying to hurt you. That’s the last thing I want to do.”

My anger spasmed like a solar flare, whipping my insides with scorching heat.

“Well, you know what, you just did,” I declared. “Feel free to let me know when you decide to stop pitying yourself and be a real man. But don’t expect me to wait around for you.”

I strode off toward the bushes that separated us from the walking path, but the torn panties hanging around my upper thighs nearly tripped me. Growling like a furious jungle cat, I reached under my dress and ripped the lace off me with a forceful yank, then threw the tattered material on the ground at his feet.

“You can add that to your trophy collection,” I snapped before storming away.

I didn’t care whether that made sense or about the fact that my lady bits were still wet and catching the chill of the November night air without the protection of underwear. I just needed to get away from him.

How could I have been so stupid? Time and time again, Tobias had proven that he wasn’t boyfriend material. Hell, he was hardly friend material!

I had thought earlier tonight that I saw a kindred spirit in him, someone who’d been smothered and restricted by an overbearing parent and was now thirsting to live life to the fullest. But he wasn’t. He let fear rule him, let it shut him down to anyone and everyone. He was way more fucked up than I was, and I didn’t need that in my life right now.

I was done with Tobias Dracul.

Chapter 9

Arya

I slammed my bedroom door and threw myself face-first onto my bed. Frustration ached in my curling fists, and I wanted to punch something. I kind of wished that something could be Tobias’s stupid face! And yet, just thinking about that stupid face triggered the unsated desire he’d left me with, which only pissed me off even more.

I screamed into my pillow, hurling all of my anger, regret and longing into that muffled sound until no air was left in my lungs. And then I just lay there, limp and listless, totally exhausted.

I hated that I still wanted him. What if I had stayed? We could have talked it out. I could have gotten him to open up about whatever he was holding back. What did he think he needed to protect me from? Or was that all a lie, just some excuse to get rid of me?

Ugh.

I really was hopeless. I wished I could just forget about him, erase him from my memory. And my life. But after what he’d done to me on that lawn—

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