He wasGrim.
I set it down. “Is it true I’m the reason? That you were almost free, until me?”
He stood up, and for a moment I thought he would come to me, tell me everything, put a hatchet to the distance between us.
Instead he reached for his pants, sliding them over his hips.
“If you’d let me die, everything would be fine. Why?” I went to him, grabbing his arm. “Why did you?—”
In a flash, Grim pinned me against the wall. “Youreally still asking that?” The little flecks of amber in his fathomless black-brown eyes flamed. He leaned close, close enough I could taste the words from his lips. “You know why.”
Before my heart had a chance to slam into my ribs, he stepped back.
“You need to change,” he said.
“What? No. What Ineedare answers.”
“You want to see your family, right?” he asked.
I jerked in surprise. “I didn’t— I never said?—”
He cut me off with a too gentle touch to my cheek. “Go get dressed.”
A quick change, a trip downstairs, and a short car ride later, we sat outside Crowne Hall, the car idling on the cobblestone driveway.
I picked at the fabric of my skirt.
Ididwant to see them. Iwasworried. I didn’t know how Grim picked up on that. But…I didn’t want to go back.
Pick.
I don’t want this to be the end.
Pick.
Grim grabbed my jaw, pulling my gaze to his. “I’ll be back. Don’t make me drag you out.”
My heart skipped.
His thumbs dug gently into my flesh. My lips parted at the heat in his stare, at the soft way he spoke.
“You’re mine, Gemma,” he said. “I just bought you time.”
“You gave me a few pomegranate seeds,” I whispered.
A slight smile speared his lips. “Something like that.”
Grim didn’t leave until I was in the house. Even then, I saw him through the windows, lingering.
I turned and faced Crowne Hall. It was a few days before the anniversary party, so vendors were setting up. Iwalked past them. In their starchy, white uniforms I felt like I was walking through ghosts.
That was sort of what it felt like now, like going back in time, to a different world. I remember the parties, remember how just a month ago it all revolved around this.
Now?
It was like when I’d seen my mirage on the club floor. This was my life, but it felt like it belonged to someone else.
Every Crowne had their own wing of the house, and once upon a time, we stayed there. We didn’t visit.
