“Do you even care what kind of mess you left behind? The entire Academy is talking about what you did! Blood everywhere—Nino had to cover for you, and you didn’t even bother to check your Nexus?” His tone was biting, and his worry was completely drowned out by rage.
His shoulders were tense, his fists flexing, every inch of him coiled like a predator ready to strike. This was a side of James I hadn’t seen in a long time—the raw, unchecked fury, the kind that promised destruction if left untamed.
His hand twitched at his side, and then he advanced—not a lunge, not a threat—only a shift, a slow, deliberate closing of space, his presence pressing down on me like a tide creeping in, heavy and unrelenting.
I instinctively recoiled, while my pulse hammered like crazy, and the words started forming on my tongue—but before I could speak, Sean was on his feet. He cut in between us, smooth and unhesitating, his stance clear as he blocked James’s path.
“Hold on, mate. That’s enough,” Sean said, his voice calm but firm. “She’s had a rough time, yeah? Maybe now’s not the time for a lecture.”
James’s eyes blazed as he took a step toward Sean, his hands curled into tight fists. “I don’t give a shit about your opinion, McGrath. She nearly tore the place apart—again! This isn’t some minor incident, this is serious!”
Jackson moved forward quickly, grabbing James by the arm and yanked him back before he could escalate further. “James, enough,” he said sternly, his words carrying quiet authority. “Sean’s right. You need to calm the fuck down.”
James shook Jackson off, but the fire in his demeanor only dimmed a little. “She can’t keep doing this. She can’t keep shutting me out.”
I’m what? Since when am I shutting him out?
Sean didn’t back down, meeting James’s glare head-on. “She wasn’t shuttin’ ye out. She just wanted some space, man. Let her breathe for a moment before ye come barrelin’ in.”
Jackson nodded, his hand still on James’s shoulder. “Look, she’s safe. You’ve made your point. Let it go.”
James stood there, torn between the anger and concern warring within him. Finally, his shoulders sagged, but his stare remained hard. “I didn’t know where you were, Emma,” he muttered. “You scared the hell out of me.”
“I’m sorry,” I replied quietly, remorse mixing with the alcohol fog in my mind. “You are right, I should’ve checked in with you.”
Sean, ever the peacekeeper, gave me a reassuring smile. “No harm done. We’ve all had a lot to process. Let’s get ye back.”
I glanced at Jackson and tried to read his expression through the haze clouding my thoughts. He gave me a small, reassuring smile, but his attention shifted to Sean, and lingered for a moment longer than usual. There was something in that look—something different. Sean caught his gaze and, without missing a beat, flashed him a quick, playful wink.
It was subtle, almost too quick to catch, but Jackson’s reaction wasn’t. His face flushed, a hint of color rising in his cheeks as he looked away, trying to hide the smile tugging at his lips. The change in his manner was unmistakable—nervous, a little flustered, but intrigued.
Even in my drunken state, it was clear—the spark between them. Subtle, but undeniable.
James was still simmering, but he nodded reluctantly. “Fine. Let’s go.” His tone was cold, but at least he’d stopped yelling.
He drew a portal and nearly pushed me through it, leaving Sean and Jackson behind, exactly like last time.
“How could you not tell me?” James roared as soon as we’d entered his loft.
I hastily sat down on the couch, my head still spinning. I translated some water and began downing it, probably faster than I should have. My throat burned from the rush, but it didn’t matter. James was furious, and I would not be able to keep up if I didn’t sober up.
“Do you have any idea how that feels?” he continued, pacing in front of me like a caged animal. “Learning your girlfriend has turned the Superior training room into a scene straight out of a slasher movie—from someone else? And even if I could get past it, instead of calling me, instead of findingme, you chose fuckingSeanto handle that? To godrinkwith? Why?”
I rolled my eyes, my patience thinning. “I don’t think your jealousy of Sean is entirely warranted.”
James narrowed his eyes into slits, before his voice dropped dangerously low. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Well, aside from the obvious—that I’m clearly committed to you—I don’t think I’m Sean’s type.”
“If you’re fishing for a compliment right now, Emma, I swear to the gods I?—”
“He’s gay!” I interrupted, the words bursting out before I could stop them. James froze, a flicker of surprise flashing across his face.
“And probably into Jackson, if I’m reading them right,” I added a bit more calmly.
“You think I give a damn about his sexual preferences?” James hissed. “You chose someoneelseto deal with the day you had. I don’t care if he prefers men, bees, or trees, you didn’t fucking callme!” His voice rose again, thundering through the room, and each word hit like a godsdamn sledgehammer.
“Well, the last time I called you, you told me not to,” I snapped back. “You said, and I quote, ‘I don’t have time for this.’ Remember?”
