“I need to get ready for the Black Reapers to come.”
What happened to we? To us?
“I mean—”
“You knew they were coming, Callie. We have to get ready.”
“Tell them to wait.”
I hated the words as soon as they came out of my mouth. The stakes were too high on their side, I understood that, and it made me sound needy and desperate.
Unfortunately, as much as I hated the words coming out, I had equal disdain for what Ash said next.
“Fuck that. This is more important.”
More important?
More important than us?
Intellectually, I understood the answer was yes. Quite literally, it was life or death. But after everything in the past year, and then after everything last night…
That didn’t just hurt.
That stung.
That hit deep. Too fucking deep.
“Ash…”
I started to feel tears well in my eyes. Goddamnit, I didn’t want to act like a needy diva, but this roller coaster was too much. I wanted off, but I didn’t want to get off forever. I…I…
I didn’t know.
I just knew that I wanted some sense of togetherness, and right now, not only was Ash not giving me that, he was actively pushing me away.
“Did last night not mean anything to you?”
“Of course it meant something,” he said, words that didn’t exactly ring true considering the way he didn’t look at me as he got his clothes on. “Why the hell wouldn’t it mean something?”
I opened my mouth to respond, but it was useless. There was no point in doing this, in playing this appeasement game. I should have known that the man I’d married, hardened after a year hiding from his worst nightmare, wouldn’t suddenly soften just because I had returned. That was so fucking stupid!
I couldn’t take it anymore. Too many emotions running through my head. I felt like I was on the verge of a breakdown of the embarrassing kind.
“I need to go,” I said, kicking the covers off and hurrying to put my clothes on.
“What?” Ash said as if I’d truly surprised him. Truly! I seriously couldn’t believe he was caught off-guard. “Did you not hear me? Last night meant something to me!”
“You’re acting like I was just a wake-up booty call for you.”
“Because the Black Reapers are coming and we have to get our shit in order!” he shouted. “Do you think I want them to see your naked body? Do you think I want them invading our privacy? Hell no, Callie. Get it together. Come on.”
Get it together?
Come on?
What was I, a kid?
I felt embarrassed. I tried to tell myself Ash had a point, that he was under a lot of stress and needed to figure out the Black Reapers stuff, but…
