Page 24 of Cruel Destinies

He clasped his hands in his lap, twiddling his thumbs as he practically scowled down at them.

“Listen, this week has shown me how hard this is going to be,” he said slowly, like it was hard to say.

“This?” I asked, my heart tripping over itself as I feared what he might say next.

He peered up at me beneath his lashes, then waved his hand back and forth between us. “This. Us. Maintaining a relationship from a distance while performing a high-profile internship.”

My heart thudded, my eyes widening before narrowing in rejection. “What are you saying?”

He hung his and looked up at the ceiling for a moment before meeting my stricken gaze. “I think it would be easier for both of us if we hit pause during my internship.”

The rejection inside was simmering into anger.

“Pause,” I deadpanned. “You mean you’re breaking up with me.”

“No,” he said. “Not—I—It just means we take a break. Until I come back.”

“Ifyou come back,” I snapped, slamming my palm on the top of my book—and pretending it didn’t sting. “And what, I’m just supposed to wait for you? Or am I free to date other guys? Are you free to date other girls?”

He frowned, clearly flustered. “What? No. I mean, I wouldn’t ask you to just wait for me if you were interested in someone else. But I’m not going to da—”

“You know what, why don’t you just make this easier on both of us and cut the damn chord,” I yelled.

“You want me to break up with you?” he snapped, his own anger rising in response to mine.

“Well, clearly you do,” I shot at him.

“Ugh, fine!” He threw up his hands, then got to his feet.

I tossed my book to the side and jumped to standing as well, my fists clenched at my sides. “Fine!”

“Fine,” he said again, crossing his arms as he glared at me.

I glared right back, damned if I was going to back down.

His jaw ticked, the conflict in his eyes masked by the scowl in his forehead. “Well, I guess that’s settled. Later, Ash.”

Then he stormed out without another word. Anger turned to rage inside me.

“Later,Ass!” I shouted after him.

I stood there for several furious seconds until my peripheral vision caught the tendrils of smoke rising from below. Iglanced down at my hands to find them glowing like hot irons in a fire pit.

If I didn’t calm myself down, I was going to burn the entire library down, and as much as I wanted to burn down the whole world at the moment, I thought better of it.

Fuck him. I didn’t need Niko. I’d never needed anyone before, and I didn’t now. He could go die in the military for all I cared. Good fucking riddance.

Chapter 10

Tobias

I watched as Niko stomped into the avian common room with smoke seeping from his ears. Three fireballs orbited him quickly like a protective shield. He was clearly in a sour mood.

“Off to pack?” I asked, causing Niko to shoot me a glare, and one of the fireballs fired in my direction.

Upon realizing it was me, the fireball extinguished before I had time to react—clearly Niko hadn’t seen me studying in the corner of the couch when he walked in.

Niko’s face instantly smoothed from fury to guilt and then tempered frustration. It was a look I had seen on him more often than I liked ever since the vampire attack. I knew the frustration was directed at me because Niko never acted that way toward Brett or anyone else.

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