“Wow, Karson, your intuition is on point today, have you ever considered doing readings?”
His jaw clenched, and his voice lifted, “You are not leaving.”
“Oh I am, unless you want to throw me against a wall again.”
Ethan appeared at the top of the stairs, half dressed, scowling down.
“I can guarantee you, sweetheart.” His temper flared. “There is a lot worse things that might happen to you if you step out the door.”
“You don’t get to threaten me,” I shouted, “not now, not ever. And don’t fucking call me sweetheart. I’m not your sweetheart.”
“It’s not a threat,” his voice dropped octaves. He loomed above me.“But if you leave this house it’s a possibility. You will not be leaving. Do I make myself clear?”
“You can find how many fucks I give about your opinion at the nearest nunnery.”
Karson forced a laugh, but his eyes were as dark as a dire benediction. We glared at each other.
I toyed with my ringless finger, I forgot to put the ring on after training, it felt strange without it, but the effort of going back up the stairs to get it was too much.
Karson struggled to keep himself under control, he was so tense a vein throbbed on the side of his neck. I should have been scared, but I was ropeable. I was angry with him for trying to control me, for moving me against the wall, and furious with myself for loving a fucking bully, who happened to be a vampire, who was also way out of my league. All in all, it was the perfect recipe for a broken heart, upon an already broken heart.
“You are not leaving,” he grated.
“I don’t have to listen to you. You are not my boss, you are not my partner, or another asshole foster parent, you are not . . .” I stopped as I realized I’d given away a childhood I’d fought to keep buried. A lump formed in my throat. I swallowed it down like it was made of lead. “You don’t get to tell me what to do. Got it?”
“Actually, I am your boss.”
The arrogant fuck. I felt my head climb with heat until I felt like it might burst.
“Then I fucking quit,” I yelled, side-stepping him, I stormed out. Karson’s response was drowned by the slamming of the door. I tensed as I waited for the blur of movement, for the breath of wind, for him to stop me. It never came. I climbed into the car. Shaking with rage, I clutched the steering wheel, breathing deeply for a few beats, trying to calm myself. I tried to put the key in the ignition. My hands shook so much I missed the slot. I cursed and tried again, finally jamming it in. A soft click of the door sounded.
Ethan sat beside me, Jefferson’s laptop tucked under one arm.
“Where are we going?” he asked casually.
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to open the door and push him out, or scream. Both, I decided.
“We are not going anywhere. Seriously Ethan. Come on, I need some time alone.”
“I agree, but I also want to see you come back alive, so it’s me, Karson, Michael or Monique. You choose.” He threw me a cocky smile.
“You’re such a pain in the ass,” I muttered, pulling away with a little more speed than normal. I gripped the wheel tight so he couldn’t see my hands shaking.
“So, where are we going?”
“To see Matt, then maybe Chris, then Darcy.” I blew out a breath, starting to calm, but not by much.
He looked at me quizzically. “Darcy I get, why the rest?” He twisted back and placed the laptop on the floor in the back of the car.
“Matt can get us in to question Chris before Karson gets to him. I don’t want him being the one to do it. He’s not exactly sympathetic.”
“That’s all well and good, except Chris isn’t home, Karson went to question him last night and he was already gone.”
“Gone? Gone where?” I glanced over, concerned for Chris.
He shrugged. “I don’t know, perhaps to be with relatives for a few days.”
I felt relief at that news, at least he gets time to grieve without Karson interrogating him. I couldn’t help wondering exactly what a Karson-style interrogation might entail. It rested uneasy.
