Page 82 of What did you do?

Every time I walked in since Mendax had left, I’d expected to see him talking with Walter on my bed. Had wanted to be with me one final time. I could never bite or scratch Eli in bed. He would know in two seconds what a twisted monster I was, and then he’d leave me too.

I didn’t get the feeling Eli was vanilla, but I would bet an entire ocean of tolkiens that he would worry if I told him howdirty Ireallyliked it. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder what being with Eli would be like. Would it be weird?

A shadow flickered in the bathroom corner, and for a second, I almost looked to see if it was Mendax.

But it wasn’t, and it was for the better. He wasn’t mine. He wasn’t even a friend. He was a problem that needed to be solved. He couldn’t be here. Not now. He would ruin everything I had waited my whole life for.

A thought I’d played with reared up: What if I did go to Unseelie? A part of me missed the dark castle, even after all of the horrors that happened while I was there. What if I went there? With Mendax? If anyone could help me, it would be him.

My neck cracked as I bent my head to my shoulder.No.This wasn’t the time to be sloppy. I would never trust anyone ever again, not fully.

I squeezed my sister’s ashes and tucked the pendant back under my shirt, then shook out my folded cotton pants from their heap on the counter.

Sudden warmth ran over my back and down my thighs as someone pressed against me from behind.

I dropped the pants to the floor with a gasp, immediately filling with excitement as Mendax pressed his chest against me and linked his hands over mine on the counter.

“I am leaving you here and returning to Unseelie,” Mendax said haughtily into the shell of my ear.

“What? You’re leaving?” I mumbled in shock as I turned to face him.

The sharp edge of the counter bit into my ass as he stepped into me, caging me between his hands still resting on the sink. His icy-blue eyes were angry as they trailed up my exposed legs, pausing on the black thong I wore.

“You’re disappointed?” He smiled slightly, causing his scarred dimple to crease.

God, he was gorgeous.

“I’m just…” I didn’t know what to say. I was very disappointed he was leaving me. Shocker—even he didn’t choose me.

“The castle is under attack. The Fallen are too strong now. I need to return,” he murmured breathily. “They have gained control of the Ladon dragon and?—”

“They have a dragon? But…the castle? Will you—will it be all right?” I asked.

I couldn’t hide the feelings that tore through me at everything he just said. What if something happened to him or Walter?

He looked furious, even though I could tell he was fighting to control it. The pulse in his neck tapped wildly. Even his eyes looked like weapons as they glared at me.

I realized his wings were spread.

Uh-oh. That meant one of two things. Danger and power rolled off him like I’d never seen.

My stomach tightened with lust.

“I’ll come with you and Walter. Maybe I can help?” I said so softly I wasn’t sure I had even made a sound as I stared at the small lines on his lips.What the fuck am I saying?

He let out a breath as though it had been trapped inside his chest. “I-I can’t take you with me. Not until we get your heart. It’s not safe for you to be there. I can’t risk something happening to you. You’d be the only one without any powers,” he stated.

There it was.

Once again, I was only a weak, powerless fool.

“I can’t lose you. You’re the only reason I fight. Those thrones belong to us. I will return for you in a week’s time.”

“No. I’m going with you,” I said defiantly. I was so sick of everyone underestimating me.

“You will stay.”

“Fuck you. I—” I shouted as the wind was taken from my lungs. He slammed me against the wall and pressed his face down against mine.

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