Page 92 of Sinful Curses
“Sahira—”
“I can’t look at you right now.”
She followed this up by bowing her head and shaking it. When she spoke again, her tone was more defeated. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because you deserve to know.”
He realized tears coated her lashes when she met his gaze and blinked rapidly. Hating the sight of those tears and the facthewas the cause of them, he took a step toward her. He sought to comfort her but had no idea how to do so.
What have I done?
Telling her was the right choice, but it never should have come to this. He should have told her sooner or better yet…I never should have set these events into motion in the first place.
He shouldn’t have tried instigating her with that nymph and the other women. He should have been honest with her… and himself.
Whatever this was between them was different than anything he’d ever experienced, and he was completely in over his head. Because of that, he was messing this up when he wanted to make itright.
Orin ached to draw her closer and clasp her against his chest, but when he reached for her, she threw out her hand and stumbled back a few steps. “Don’t touch me!”
His arms fell limply back to his sides as he tried to explain it to her; it was difficult to do when he didn’t understand it. “When I saw you sucking poison out of Zeth, I realized why the idea of me with other women bothered you so much.”
Had he really said that? He ran a hand through his hair, tugging at the ends of it as he realized how much he was opening himself up to her.
What am I doing?
But now that he’d started, he couldn’t stop. “I understood why you couldn’t let the idea of me sleeping with another woman go.”
He understood the meaning of someone looking spitting mad as she glowered at him. He was still screwing this up, and his mind spun as he tried to figure out how to fix it, but, with a sinking sensation, he realized he might have messed up too badly to repair it.
“I’m glad youunderstandthis because I don’t,” she retorted. “I don’t know why you keep doing these things to me. I’m not a game! I’m a woman, an immortal withfeelings,and you think I’m a toy you can play with whenever you want a laugh.”
“That’s not true. I don’t find any of this funny.”
Those were the truest words he’d ever uttered. This situation was the least humorous thing he’d ever done, and he was nearly gutted and killed by a wendigo during the final battle against the Lord.
“I needed you to know the truth, Sahira.”
“Why? What do you expect to happen between us now? What did you think the truth was going to do?”
He tried to form a response but didn’t have one. He’d asked himself the same question before coming here and still had no idea. “I don’t know.”
“You. Don’t. Know. Well, that’s fantastic, Orin. Is this just another game? Because we both know you love screwing with my head. You’re worse than those symbols.”
Feeling helpless and hating it, he reached for her again, but she retreated until she nearly collided with the opposite wall. “Don’t touch me. Don’t… don’t… don’t doanything. You keep not knowing because I can’t… I don’t... Iwon’tdo this with you anymore.”
“What do youwantfrom me?” he demanded with far more anger than he’d anticipated as her words caused his patience to fray. Not having complete control of his emotions was maddening, but she pushed his buttons more than he’d ever believed possible. The idea of losing her terrified him more than anything else in his life.
Concentrating on his breathing, he asked in a much calmer voice, “What do you want me to do?”
“No! This isn’t on me. This is onyou!Youhave to decide whatyouwant, but just so you know, I won’t sit around and wait for you to figure it out. This isyourshit to deal with, Orin, not mine.”
“Sahira—”
“I don’t know if you’re telling me the truth about this or lying to me again.”
She shook her head before focusing her bright red eyes on him.
“I’ve never lied to you,” he said.
