Page 24 of Spark

“I trust it won’t need to happen again,” I said, unable to subside the venom in my voice.

She flinched and looked away, like that might somehow hide the memories flashing in front of her. I’d been brutal then, furious and unforgiving. In a way, I regretted it because I hadn’t just clipped Jaden’s wings, I’d fucking torn them from her body. She would never escape me again, and if that meant she’d have to learn to walk in her cage instead of fly, then so be it. Even though I hated it, I wanted that memory to last. I wanted her to remember how cruel I could be so she could learn to appreciate the times when I wasn’t.

“Jaden,” I warned her; I was still waiting for her answer. She flinched just the tiniest of a fraction, but it was noticeable to my eyes.

“No, Darren,” she said, hiding her mouth behind her folded hands. “It won’t.” Her eyes found mine as she said it like a vow—sharply and surrounded with conviction. She was angry with me, but she would have to get over it. Truthfully, I never wanted to hurt her like that again. I wanted her strong and durable, but if my princess needed a reminder of her place, that there was no escape from me, then I would do what was necessary to ensure that.

“Good,” I said, finalizing that conversation.

A few short moments later, our dinner was brought out, and I decided to entertain a new conversation.

“Tell me about your day with Holly,” I ordered as I began cutting into my steak.

Jaden finished chewing on her steamed carrots before she finally answered.

“She’s annoying as hell,” she answered, and it almost made me laugh. I agreed one hundred percent. “But she is someone to talk to so…”

So Jaden was lonely, after all. I knew I hadn’t been around much, but I was far too busy to keep flying back to the island to spend time with her, no matter how much I wanted to. Not to mention time away from me meant she could focus on herself, but that didn’t seem to be going so well. I hoped Holly would change that.

“I trust I don’t need to remind you to watch what you say to her,” I warned. Jaden scowled at me but softened it quickly when I caught her eye.

“Of course, although I’ve never seen someone tiptoe so well around someone’s past before in my life. Tell me, what lies did you give Holly about me to ensure her discretion?”

My mouth formed a tight line while my jaw instantly clenched. She was pushing me again, and I was only too happy to shove back.

“Holly is under the impression that you were in a car accident and that you lost your mother and younger brothers in it. It was obviously a traumatic experience for you and should never, under any circumstances, ever be discussed.” She nodded in acknowledgment. “I don’t think I need to remind you of what will happen to Holly should those conversations reach their limit.”

Jaden gulped back her water, swallowing like she had a lump in her throat before she answered. “No reminder necessary,” she replied grimly without looking at me.

“Good girl,” I said and went back to my dinner. Jaden silently worked on her own. To my surprise, she actually finished her entire plate, and when she was done, she relaxed into her chair, clearly lost in thought. I had a feeling I was going to hear all about it.

“I have a question for you,” she said carefully.

“Hmm?” I responded, slightly intrigued.

“Why did you approve a stir-fry for my lunch today?”

I couldn’t help but let the corners of my mouth curve. I had wondered how Jaden would react to Holly’s diet plan for her, especially today’s menu. And I was right in believing she’d be pissed. I didn’t even know why I allowed myself to torture her with traumatic memories, but maybe I just wanted to know where her mind was at and what she would and wouldn’t tolerate.

I wiped the corners of my mouth before answering. “Got a disdain for stir-fry now?”

Jaden’s eyes narrowed. “I thought you said we were done playing games,” she said sharply.

“We are,” I affirmed without looking at her. “I just wanted to see where your mindset is.”

“You mean you wanted to know if I was still haunted by the warehouse? You could have just asked. And the answer is yes.”

I groaned. “You would have never owned up to it, so don’t even try to suggest otherwise. If I want the truth without an argument or struggle, I will find other ways of extraction.”

“I just don’t understand why you care if it still affects me or not. I thought you were beyond sympathizing with me.”

“I am, but I still have to make an effort in understanding why you react to certain things the way you do. It’s part of your psychology. For example, why you couldn’t care less if the men I assign to protect and watch over you are dead because of you, yet the life of someone with no benefit to you is somehow more important. You place value on the lives of others even though you have no business making that determination.”

“Oh, and you do? If you can place value on the lives of others, then why can’t I?”

I chuckled. “I’ve already made that determination more times than I can count. The difference is I eliminate people who have lost their value to me. You try to eliminate people with value and protect those who lack it.”

She scowled, but I just found it cute. “Your idea of value and my idea of value are two very different ideas.”

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