Page 100 of Dangerous Promises

"Wait!"

He rips his arm from my hand but he does stop, turning to face me and folding his hands together in front of his body.

"For what exactly?" he says, speaking in a tone that's far too calm.

"I don't know," I shrug. "Just to let me explain."

He raises a brow, but there's so much anger behind his stormy gray eyes. This is far from the tender man who tucks me into bed and strokes my hair while I fall asleep.

"Explain what? How we're on limited supply? Or was throwing me under the bus with your father all part of the grand plan?"

"I don't know what to say-"

He advances on me and I have to back up to avoid getting chewed up in his vitriol. "What happens after this, princess? We go back to fighting to the death?"

My heart burns. I would let him kill me and we both know it.

"It was just something I said," I sigh. "I - I don't know. Didn't you think this was anything other than temporary?"

I look up imploringly into his eyes and they falter. It's only a slight dip but I can see I've shocked him with that question. My heart aches even more. If I didn't know any better, I'd think I've hurt him.

His eyes dart back and forth between mine, but I have unintentionally stunned him. He licks his lip as he backs away from me slowly. Like he wants to attack but seems to think he's not in the right position to win. Not without giving up ground.

"You're right." He nods, but his eyes hit the ground.

"Wait, I-" I reach out for him, but he pulls away from me.

"Temporary is good," he says. He stumbles as he walks away, half turning back like he wants to say something but decides not to.

I hold my hand over my heart as I realize that what I've just done to him is the same thing that was done to me. It broke my heart when Nicholas did it to me. I'm the one running away this time and I'm not entirely sure why. I don't want to, but still I can't seem to open my mouth to say anything that's going to make him stay here with me.

"Are you-" I reach out and he stops. "Are we still- today?"

Alexei sighs, understanding what I'm asking. And yet I can't be sure what's going to happen from here. Because he walks away for real this time. He completely ignores me as he paces towards the front gates. I only just notice that Isla is standing there too, a pained look on her face as she watches our interaction.

Alexei doesn't pause as he reaches her, pushing past her and fiddling with the lock on the gates.

"Alexei we should-" she begs, grazing his shoulder.

He brushes her aside as the lock opens. "Get in the car." He doesn't look back at either of us as he heads for the car and heaps himself into the passenger seat.

Isla turns to me, giving me a sad look that I can't quite read. Maybe disappointment. Maybe she feels bad for me. But in the end, she'll always follow him.

"Yeah, coming," she says, brushing her hair over her ears.

She joins him in the car and when she leaves, she leaves carrying a piece of me I didn't know was missing.

Chapter

Forty-One

Alexei

The smell of body odor is an assault, pungent and potent, clouding the atmosphere as it hits me. I take a single step inside Angie's bar, only knowing I'm in the right place from legend.

Isla steps in behind me, dodging something sticky on the floor and crinkling her nose as she does. She looks at me with gentle concern that is unique to her. But it is anger that overwhelms me now. I let it take over as it drives me forward.

I've done something with Sage that I have never done before. I have shown my cards. I have played my hand, presented it to her and allowed her to read me. There's a sting behind my ribcage that I can't name.