A Girl in Black and White (Alyria 2)

The vase shattered against the wall by his head.

He closed his eyes for a moment, frustration ticking in his jaw. “You got it out, that’s great. Now walk away, Calamity.”

My heart beat so hard, my anger dying into something too much like despair in my chest. I hated it, I hated it so much. There was a burning behind my eyes, and I was going to lose it in front of him. But I couldn’t stop myself from picking up the thin glass ornament on the table.

“I swear if you throw—”

A muscle ticked in his cheek, but otherwise, he held still while it shattered against his chest, like he wasn’t even going to move, like he somehow . . . deserved it.

My breaths stutter

ed at the revelation. And I had to know. I had to know if this was a game or if this was real because it would haunt me for the rest of my life if so.

I turned and walked towards the door, leaving my dress on the floor. “Goodbye, Weston.”

“What are you doing?” he asked, his voice dark.

“Leaving. Acting like the whore you seem to think I am.”

I had the door open and was one step out when he grabbed my wrist, spun me around and slammed his palm on the wall by my head. “Why!” he growled. “Why can’t you just fucking do what I want you to do for once in your life?”

I didn’t realize that tears were running down my cheeks like I’d never cried before. I shook my head. “I hate you. I hate you so much,” I bit out, trying to push him away, but he wrapped an arm around the back of my thighs and picked me up. It was almost comforting in a way, up until he dropped me on the bed.

He paced in front of the footboard, his body tense, his eyes dark and frustrated. I moved to crawl off the bed, but the look he shot me stopped me in my tracks.

The visceral reaction that I’d stopped like some kind of submissive wife sent a shot of anger through me. “I don’t take orders from you.”

“But you’re wrong.” His voice was hard. “Who would stop me from making you?”

Ugh, my chest burned in irritation. “You’ve been the worst experience I’ve had with a man yet, and I’d like to leave now.”

“You haven’t had any experiences with men besides me. I’ve just proven that, haven’t I?” His voice was too darkly pleased, and it pissed me off.

“I don’t know. Maybe I’ve been on my knees just like you were before.”

The look he shot me could have killed anyone weaker I was sure; black seeped steadily into his irises. Damn it all to hell. Maybe that wasn’t the best thing to say when I knew he could lose his humanity at any point.

He turned, walking away from me as if to collect himself.

How did it come to this? We could never just have a moment without it blowing up in our faces. “I just want to leave, Weston,” I said tiredly, moving to get off the bed.

“Get off that bed, I will put you right back.”

Annoyance ran through me. I could fast-travel to my dress, then fast-travel out. I’d be naked in the hall for a moment, but I was getting sick of him thinking I couldn’t do anything to stand up for myself. Though after a moment, I realized I couldn’t feel the burn at all. His presence had put me into a turmoil I couldn’t shake, and my magic wasn’t going to work with me.

With a frustrated sigh, I hopped off the bed only to come face to face with a chest in front of me.

“Do you think I say things just to say them?” he asked, but now the words were softer than earlier, the darkness losing steam.

“Sometimes, yea.” I didn’t notice he even had it before he was sliding my dress over my head, and a heaviness settled on my chest, so heavy. I was just waiting for a ‘Thank you’ if I was lucky and then to be escorted to the door.

My anguish from earlier returned, and then the skin-tingling relief of his palm running from my neck to my nape. His other hand brushed the tear tracks off my cheeks, in the lightest, most comforting, touch. I felt the back of my eyes burning again and willed it to stay down. He’d turned me into the biggest girl. Why was I letting him touch me after all that he said to me? I pushed both of his hands off me and tried to walk away. But his grip on my arm stopped me.

“Why can’t you use your magic?”

Of course, he would put that together. I tried to shrug his hold off with no avail and then brought my gaze up to him. “It’s my business—”

“None of yours,” he echoed dryly. “Answer the question.”