I turn, and he’s staring right at me from about thirty yards away.
His eyes narrow, and I notice the deep, jagged scar stretching across his cheek bone. Something he definitely did not have before the night he attacked me.
It looks like he got the absolute, ever-livingshitkicked out of him. My eyes fly back to Ryjax in the stands, and he offers the most casual shrug I’ve ever seen.
My lips quirk into a smile, even more so when I notice a few of the other men who had also been there that night. Two of them can barely walk, another wears a sling on his right arm.
My eyes land on Jax again, and Iburnfor him. This man who not only protected me when I needed it but also taught me how to protect myself.
He smiles at me then, the real one that reaches his eyes, like he knows exactly what I’m thinking.
“Fi?” I whip my head to the side at the sound of Char’s voice, but he’s not looking at me, he’s looking at Ryjax,thenme. Then, back to Ryjax again.
My smile falters, caught off guard by his tone, but then I shake my head because it’sChar, and he’s okay.
“Char!” I exclaim, running up to him and folding my arms around his broad shoulders. “It’s so good to see you.” And I mean every word. It truly is so good to see him, but he doesn’t hug me back.
“Who the fuck is that?” He grabs my arms and shoves me off him. I take a staggered step back. He’s still looking at Ryjax. “Is that…” He squints, and I know he’s putting it all together, realizing exactly who is sitting next to my parents. “Is that Prince Ryjax?” He sounds disgusted. More than disgusted, downright repulsed.
His eyes finally find mine, and I nod, my voice somehow caught, unable to answer him out loud, not when he’s looking at me like this. Like I’m a monster, like I’ve done something terribly, terribly wrong.
“What the actualfuck,Fi?”
My brows furrow, my throat goes dry because I don’t underst—
“Him?” He takes an aggressive step toward me, pointing at Ryjax in the stands, and he looks betrayed. So utterly and painfullybetrayed.He shakes his head violently. “I saw the way you were looking at him. Like…like you were…fuck. What the actualfuck, Fi?”
I flinch just before guilt floods my system.
“Char, let me expla—”
“Explain? Are you kidding me?” His hands find his hair, and he pulls. “Are you fucking him?”
My eyes widen, horrified he would say such a thing, especially so loudly when we’re surrounded by far too many people. People who are now stopping their conversations so they can listen in on ours.
“It’s not like that,” I grind out, my voice low, my face heated.
“Oh gods, you are.” He shakes his head again, as if it’s the only thing he can do. “You’re an idiot,” he seethes. “A gods-damned fool. Did you forget who he is? The family he’s a part of? This trial only exists because of people like him!”
“Char, you need to calm down,” I say, my whole body feeling hot, and my fingers trembling.
“Calm down?” He barks out a laugh. “You want me tocalm down?For months, I’ve been beating myself up over what happened to you. For months I’ve wanted nothing more than to be with you, to makethis thing between usright.And now I catch you making eyes at the fucking prince!” His voice rises, and my heartbeat picks up.
I take a step toward him, needing him to not hate me even though his words sting, cut in a way I didn’t know was possible.
“I won’t lie.” The sound of Norin’s voice has both of us turning our heads in his direction. My lip curls as I take him in. He may be injured, but his beady eyes are still as menacing as ever. “I’m a bit surprised to see you even speaking to him, Serafina.”
“Norin.” Char’s voice is a warning, and he steps toward him in a way that blocks me slightly from his view. “She forgave me.”
Norin chuckles. “Did she now? How very big of you, sweetheart. Can’t say I’d do the same if someone I trusted sold me out like that.”
My teeth grind, my skin somehow hotter than before, and I wish I could allow my flames to consume him right here and now.
He doesn’t deserve to be one of the few who get to live.
But I hold back my temper and decide to use my words instead.
“What was he to do?” I say, stepping around Char, preparing to defend him even though the things he’s said have settled like a barbed weight in my chest. “You would’ve killed him if he didn’t tell you where I was. You fucking bastard.”
