Like one huge conspiracy that I couldn’t escape, the music changed again to something slow and melodic, a song of love. Or even a … a lost love. A thread of longing wound through the notes, and it was probably going to take every ounce of my strength and composure to get through this dance.
“You look beautiful,” he said softly, and fuck if my traitorous heart didn’t ache at hearing those words from him again. I didn’t need it though. I was stronger than one man’s compliments to me. Not to mention, they weren’t even meant for me.
Okay, that pissed me off.
“Thank you,” I said shortly, hoping he’d shut up and we could make it through the next three minutes.
I couldn’t see much around his eyes, but it almost looked like the skin tightened there at my short reply. Thankfully, he didn’t speak again, but he did tighten his hold on me, pulling me firmly against his body.Duck…Yep, not autocorrect, I was literally trying to focus on ducks.Squawky little fuckers. Always ganging up and shitting everywhere. Fucking hate ducks. Don’t deserve to share the water with the other amazing animals in it.
Ducks attacked me when I was a child and I’d held a lifelong grudge against them. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to distract me from Asher.
His hand started to slowly stroke across my spine, and everything inside me tightened. I felt a desperate need to wrap my legs around him and feel his hardness pressed against my center. It had been far too fucking long without sex, and while it had been the last thing on my mind when Asher died, he was back and I had no real excuse for continuing to deny myself orgasms. Even by my own hand.
It was like I was punishing myself.
No. More.
Tonight I was going to release some tension.
When the final beat of that slow, stunningly beautiful—but possibly designed to torture—song ended, I made a move to step back. Asher didn’t let me go though. If anything, his hold was stronger, and as I tilted my head back to stare into his eyes, wanting to know what he was planning, I choked on my gasp. There was so much going on in those stormy green depths. The gold was almost black as it slashed through the iris.
He never took his gaze from mine, not even for a second, and I was all but trembling in his arms. Fuck. Why did this affect me so much? It hurt, and at the same time I desperately wanted it. I wanted Asher more than I wanted…
Fuck.
He moved fast, and all I saw were dimples and full lips before we were kissing. The first taste stole my soul, and the moment his tongue stroked against mine, I all but moaned out loud. I gave myself that one taste, and then I jerked my head back, and before I could think it through, I punched him. It wasn’t as powerful as I would have liked—our height difference made it hard for me to straight shot the bastard like he deserved.
Of course I barely even moved him, but his head did jerk back as his hands fell off me. Turning on my heels, I stormed away.
How dare he?He’d kissed me not knowing it was me! He kissed another chick, basically, after everything we’d been through, and I hadn’t even wanted to touch myself because it felt fucking disloyal.
I hated him.
“Maddison James,” he said, his voice cutting through the noise of the party.
My march slowed, and I wondered if I’d just imagined him calling my name.
How in the fuck had he known it was me?
Asher was somehow in front of me, filling the world with his energy again, destroying me one minute at a time. “Baby, stop,” he said, reaching out to me. “Please. I can explain.”
My head was spinning, because this was my Asher. The Asher I loved more than anything. But my Asher died months ago, and I couldn’t trust this new stranger who wore his face.
“How did you know it was me?” I asked, wanting at least that answer, and trying to distract from whatever he wanted toexplain.
He removed his mask so I could see every part of his perfect face, and I composed myself one more time. “I would know you anywhere,” he said softly. “In the dark. In disguise. When we leave this world and enter the next. There is literally not a place that you can exist where I would not know it was you.”
Motherfucker.The burn of tears had me blinking rapidly to try and hide it. I let the anger that had been swirling inside of me for months rise instead, obliterating the pain. “I don’t know what game you’re playing today, Asher Locke, but I have no time for it. As far as I’m concerned, my Asher died months ago.” He flinched, and I balled my hands at my sides, forcing my face not to react. “Stay out of my way.”
With that, I pushed past him—and all our onlookers—and ran from the dance floor. Shaky breaths heaved in and out of my lungs, and I was dizzy from the emotions smashing through my body and mind. Survival instincts kicked in, giving me the strength to make it out of the room. It wasn’t until I was outside that I remembered I hadn’t walked to this dance. I was now somewhere on the demi-fey side with no real idea of how to get back to the Academy. I mean, I could have attempted a step-through, but I was a bit too drunk to be messing with my powers tonight. I’d probably blow something important up. Like my face.
“Need a hand?”
I spun around to find a familiar green face staring up at me. “Mossie,” I said, hurrying forward, ready to wrap my arms around him in a hug.
“Missed you, Maddison,” he said as he returned my gesture strongly.
I paused. “You know it’s me as well?”
