Page 237 of Infernal Secrets

“Ash wants to know what you need him to do next.” Before I could question why Ash hadn’t come himself, he added, “I need to know what you want me to do, too.”

I blinked, taken aback he’d volunteer for anything.

I didn’t understand him.

He didn’t trust me. He acted like he hated me.

My hand went to my neck, his eyes tracking the move. He’d taken Mom’s necklace. I was still adjusting to life without it.

He closed the distance and lifted his hand, cuffing the front of my throat far gentler than he’d ever touched me, keeping me from looking away when I tried. His gaze dropped to his hand when I swallowed hard; he felt it.

“You’re afraid of me,” he whispered with an edge of something that sounded almost like disappointment. When I said nothing, his gaze latched onto mine. “Aren’t you?”

My eyebrows knitted, mirroring his natural scowl.

“The Hand That Feeds” by Nine Inch Nails started playing, and the connection to this moment almost made me laugh.

“I’m not afraid of you, Cyn.”

He glanced aside, still not letting go.

“Should I be?”

His amber eyes collided with mine. “What?”

“Should I be afraid of you? You told me you’d never hurt me unless I wanted you to.” I scoffed. “You lied.”

“How did I lie?”

I pushed forward into his hand, bringing my nose to his. “I don’t trust you either. I don’t accept you either.”

He released me, staggering back as if I’d slapped him.

“What?” I grabbed my phone and cut the music. “Did you think you could take the one thing that mattered to me most besides my grandma—who isn’t here anymore—and think I’d trust you after that?”

“I didn’t know,” he said, lip drawing back in a sneer. “None of us knew how your family got that stone.”

“You’re right.” I dropped my phone onto the bed. “But the others didn’t take it. They’d all touched it. They had the opportunity.”

He spun and slammed his fist into the wall, making me flinch. He didn’t use infernal strength, otherwise, there’d be a hole.

“I don’t know why you’re upset.” I crossed my arms, genuine confusion running through me. “You don’t want me. You don’t trust me, even if the necklace wasn’t some trick.”

“I never said—” He froze, looking away.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Fuck you, no. Say it.”

As much as he infuriated me, that little zap of awareness I felt when I stood up to him surged through me.

“I never said I didn’t want you.”

I couldn’t help it; I laughed until my stomach hurt.

“I didn’t!”