Page 185 of Once Upon a Fable

The urge to attack him flowed in my veins.

I’d gone to sleep with him wrapped around me, protected and safe. I’d woken to him dragging me out of sleep and once again treating me as his prisoner.

Argh!

I glanced at the cuff.

I should’ve run when I had the chance.

Both of us breathed hard, ignoring each other.

With quietness came a smidgen of propriety. I forced myself to remember all I’d learned about this man. The book of fables on prison-style single beds. The scribbles on the walls from children who’d been used to satisfy monsters.

If anyone was entitled to act like a bastard, it was Kas.

I just had to use the calm approach and not let him scare me into aggression. Dragging my legs up, I sat in a cross-legged position, cursing the bite of leather, and ignoring the fact that he grabbed the leash as it slithered over the blankets when I moved.

He clutched it tight, an unwanted but highly obvious link between us.

It seemed Kas had finally woken.

His mind wasn’t playing tricks on him, and his concussion had receded long enough for him to remember who I was. As far as he recalled, I’d trespassed, gotten on my knees for him, allowed him to fuck me in the rain, then dragged me back to his lair like a beast.

Silence reigned between us, screaming with tension the longer we stewed in mutual dislike.

I’d wished for this day to come. Begged for the moment he was lucid enough that I could leave and get help. But now that he was back to his old self, I remembered why I didn’t like him very much. Why we fought like enemies. Why I’d done my best to guard myself against him.

I’d almost forgotten how monstrous he could be.

Almost.

Well, he’s done a spectacular job of reminding me.

“I won’t put up with this, you know,” I muttered, keeping my eyes on the blanket bunched in my fists. “This is the thanks you give me for looking after you? If it is, it’s no surprise that your family didn’t come back—”

Oh, shit.

What happened to the calm approach?

Slowly, he tipped his head up, his entire body going alarmingly still. “Whatdid you just say?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean...” I huffed, allowing honesty to infuse my apology. “You’ve made me angry. That was harsh. Way, way too harsh. I don’t know why I said that. That isn’t me at all.” I snorted under my breath. “It seems you bring out the worst in me, but that isn’t an excuse. Especially knowing what I know—”

Gem, quiet for God’s sake!

His head tilted to the side like a dangerous raptor. “Knowwhatexactly?”

Wonderful.

I was determined to die today.

Bracing my shoulders, even though all I wanted to do was bury under the blankets, I replied, “I know enough.”

His eyes narrowed to slits, hiding his endless pain. “Know enough about what?” He shuddered, swaying on the spot, his forehead furrowing as he fought to stay awake.

My heart bolted into my ribs. How much should I tell him? What would trigger him? What would help?

“Well?” he snapped.