Oh. Crap.
Silence.
Grigori’s feet crossed, and he moved as he leaned against the doorframe. “Would you please care to explain this to me? You broke our arrangement whentheycame back.” He growled. “I gave you want you wanted. And you’re still mad at me. Stealing my shit and wearing that damn necklace to taunt me.” He shouted, “What the fuck, Ember?”
I held my breath in the extended silence. If I were still writing about this kind of shit, it would be so prime. I still felt a little giddy inside. I wasn’t sure the ruthless part of me that yearned for the insider’s information would ever go away.
When Ember didn’t respond, Grigori lunged.
Ember didn’t move out of his way.
They stood toe-to-toe.
I was betting Grigori had her by the shoulders with the way her legs shook back and forth, with him yelling, “Goddammit, answer me!”
And…Ember came out of her mute state. She started struggling as she shouted, “I took the damn shirt because it reminds me of you! And I wore the necklace because you gave it to me!” She kicked him, but Grigori must have pushed her because he suddenly had her against the sink. “It’syou. And I’ve missed you, you fucking asshole.” Her shouting voice cracked. “You didn’t try, Grigori. I may have been confused, and I did screw up, but you didn’t even try.”
Instant. Grigori shouted right back, “You did screw up! They fucking lied to you worse than anyone ever could, and you still decided to be with them. What the hell was I supposed to do? Beg? Plead?” It looked like he shook her again. “I couldn’t do that. I wouldn’t do that. It wasthem!”
Silence, except for their harsh breathing.
“I know,” she breathed, her voice strangled. “I…I screwed up.” Her tone altered to venomous. “But so did you. I didn’t expect you to beg. I didn’t expect you to plead. But, I did—pathetically—expect you to fight for me. And you didn’t.”
Grigori was just as furious as he spoke, his voice slowly rising, “What. Do. You. Want. From. Me?” He growled, and she shook again. “Do you want an apology? Fine. You have it. I never should have let you leave me. I know that now. But again, it wasthem.” She shook again, and he repeated, “What. Do. You. Want. From. Me?”
“I…I…” she stuttered.
“You…You…What?” Grigori shouted. A pause. “Is this what you want?” There was a pause, and I heard Ember gasp. But it was quickly muffled. It sounded like one hell of kiss ensued. Breathless, Grigori asked, “Is that it?”
It sounded like Ember was panting when she said, “No. That’s not all.” She cleared her throat, and her voice was quiet. “I’ve missed you so damn much. I want us. The way we were. I want my partner back.”
“I don’t know if I can give that to you. A quick fuck? Yes. What we had before? I don’t know.” He growled so gently. “Ember, you hurt me.”
“And. You. Hurt. Me,” she punctuated each word in a hiss. “I may have started this fucking mess we’re in, but you sure as hell ended it.”
A minute of silence. I couldn’t even hear them breathing this time.
“Fuck, Ember,” he rumbled. “I don’t ever want to feel like I have been since they came back. This isn’t me. I don’t understand it.”
“I know,” she whispered. Her arms fell and dangled at her sides. “I feel the same. It’s tearing me up inside and I don’t…I don’t get it. But I do know the only time I feel even halfway normal is when I’m around you.”
It was quiet. “I’m so mad at you.”
“Back at you.”
“Fine. We’ll try this, but so help me, Ember, if I find out they’ve, or anyone else, touches you, I’m fucking gone.” He paused and asked slowly, “Have you been with them?”
“No. I never even let them kiss me.” Her fists clenched. “What about you?”
“Other than that shot for the photo, I never touched her. Or anyone else.” He backed up a space. “I don’t know if I can be gentle the first time. I’m too upset.”
“I understand,” she murmured softly.
“Good,” he stated harshly. In a sudden movement, I could see them. Because she was lying flat on her back on the bathroom floor with a furious Grigori on top of her. She had squealed, her hands gripping his shoulders, but his mouth landed on hers, kissing her. Brutal. She groaned, her hands going to his hair and pulled him tighter to her, even though he was kissing her hard enough to bruise. He pulled back, staring down at her. “Take your bra off.”
She panted, arching up, doing as told. He moved down her body, yanking her shorts and panties off in one motion. But she still said, “We don’t have time for this right now. The flight leaves in an hour.”
“We’ve got time,” Grigori growled, pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it aside. He leaned and took his shorts off. And, oh goodness, he looked identical to his father everywhere. I averted my gaze quickly—ahem—from his nether regions. Somehow, it just seemed wrong to be seeing him that way. He was Daniil’s son. I really shouldn’t be here for this, but Lord help me if I was going to expose myself. Not after eavesdropping on that intimate conversation.
