Page 53 of Brambles and Bellflowers
His brow furrowed, his frustration giving way to confusion. “What?”
I stepped back as my body grew tense. “What do you want?”
“I’ve told you before—I don’t want anything,” Damen replied, tone softening. “But I’m in charge of the quintet. Your welfare is my responsibility. That’s what I’m supposed to do.”
My welfare. My responsibility.
Just like Finn.
“Is that why you’re upset?” he asked. “My role?”
“No, it’s not!” I snapped, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. “I don’t care that you’re in charge!”
“Then what is it?” His voice cracked, exasperation bleeding through his carefully controlled demeanor. “You keep ignoring me, pushing me away. You’ve almost died because you won’t listen!”
“Because you never ask me first!” I met his step with one of my own, my chest tightening with every word. “You just make decisions without even talking to me. I’d listen if you’d include me in the conversation! Instead, you talk about me like I’m not even there. Sometimes it’s funny, especially when you monologue—”
“I don’t monologue!”
“You definitelymonologue.” I pushed my finger into his chest. “This is why you’re not trusted with any sensitive information.”
“What?”
I touched my lips—I wasn’t even sure what I was saying anymore, but the words flowed from me now. “And I don’t even mind your flirting—”
Damen’s frown deepened. “We’ve already established that.”
“—even though it’s incredibly cheesy.”
“Cheesy?”
“But you need to stop forcing me to act in waysyouwant.” I sucked in a breath. The cold air barely cut through the burning inferno in my chest. “I’m not ready yet. I waited for you all this time; now you can suck it up and wait for me.”
Damen blinked. The righteous anger fell from his expression as he furrowed his brows. “What in the worldare you talking about?”
My fury vanished instantly, and a hollow sensation buzzed through me. The force of our argument still echoed in my thoughts. This time, I knew I’d gone too far.
“I’m going to lie down.” My lips were numb. The world drained of color, and my vision blurred at the edges. I turnedfrom him, barely aware of Titus and Julian watching the two of us with wide eyes.
I just needed a moment to compose myself, as I had no idea what had just happened.
“Wait.” Damen’s hand closed around my upper arm. His voice was softer now, uncertain. “What do you mean?”
I glanced back at him, a lock of my hair falling over my face in the movement, but I didn’t even have the energy to push the thick curls away. I pulled his fingers off my arm, unable to see past the clouds. “I don’t know.”
His grip slackened, and I stumbled forward, barely making it into the tent and zipping it up behind me before wetness trailed down my cheeks.
There was a faint murmuring from outside the tent. I huddled in the corner, face pressed to my knees, waiting to see who would be the first to intrude.
But, as the moments passed, the noises died down, I was still alone.
10
Damen POV
I’d gone too far.At first, I’d been so hopeful—finally, she was letting me know her true feelings, and I thought we might have been getting somewhere. But then she’d shut down, and my stomach dropped as she’d fled the conversation. It was something that Mu would never have done.
But as Bianca said, she wasn’t Mu.
