Page 17 of Kat Bethel

No. You left him in the forest.

When the lights finally settled, they stayed on, but the light didn’t illuminate the room the same way. The darkness of the room was more suffocating than it was moments before.

Are you sure?

“That’s not fair.”William sighed, breaking my focus on the possibility of a threat.What did he say to me?

“I’m not being fair?” My eyes were impossibly wide. “I’ve met scum at the bottom of sewers more loyal than you.”

Literally.

I knew it was frowned upon, but I could appreciate why some Rinah witches boinked their hunts from time to time.

Immortal dedication sounds great after a human’s ripped your heart out.

I took a deep breath to rein myself in and bit off the rest of the tirade begging to be unleashed.

“She’s actually nice to me. She doesn’t bully me.”The pressure in the room grew even heavier as his words settled.

Like even the shadows knew that was complete bullshit.

“Bully?” What the fuck was he talking about?

I guess my voice reflected my thoughts because he whispered,“Cancun.”

That’s what this was about?

A forty-year-old man who couldn’t handle the word no. Even though I only said no once in ten years.

I bit my lip until the metallic tang of blood filled my mouth. Why?

Because I was softening the blow for a man who couldn’t handle his ego being touched. Because that’s what I always did. Smooth it over. Minimize the truth. When in truth, he couldn’t handle facts without coming unglued.

Flammable. Keep away from criticism of any kind.

A cold, bitter laugh barked out of me as the realization hit me. That I’d trained him to throw temper tantrums to get what he wanted, and that’s all this was now. “Yeah, I bet the young lady strokes your ego with lies and fake smiles.”

There wasn’t any reason to hold back anymore. We were over. He couldn’t withhold love or affection. He couldn’t do shit to me. That ship sailed.

Bully? Mean? I’d show him.

“Wittle baby stomping his feet, because I suggested a part-time job for the vacation he wanted.” I mimicked a toddler’s voice.

I’d been gentle when I reminded him that I’d taken months off to take care of him this year for one bullshit excuse or another. I hadn’t said anything about it, figuring my absence was wearing on him, but a vacation wasn’t possible. I didn’t have PTO or sick time. I was paid by the monster. No monster, no check from the elders.

Considering he hadn’t worked a day in ten years, asking him to fund the vacation wasn’t that big of a fucking ask.

Vinegar settled on my tongue. “You never did appreciate how much work it takes to keep you happy.”

How many times did I drown so he got what he wanted? The way I shrank so he felt more powerful. As if a mere man could ever have more power than me.

Why did I allow this for so long?

So you could feel like you were good enough.

“Sasha.” His voice held that final warning before he torched our entire day, week, or month. Depending on how egregious he found my sins to be.

The temperature took a nosedive, sending goosebumps and shivers over my skin. The air grew so thick, I was nearly gasping to take in air. The darkness deepened like it did in the forest, breaking me out of my righteous anger.