“No, no. Stay in here.” I force a wide grin that feels as fake as a silicone breast implant. I mean, Iimagineit feels fake. I wouldn’t know. “I’ll be right back.”
My mind’s swirling as I push through the doors that lead into the garden. I inhale deeply and throw myself against the railing, studying the hedges that have pools of moonlight dripping on them.
Even though it’s winter, the garden is all four seasons, even blooming in the cold like it is now. After the frigid day, a warm front has moved in, making the temperature bearable. But still, I hug my arms to fight off a chill that’s settled on my skin. However, this cold is more from Cathy than it is the actual weather.
I inhale the comforting scents of gardenias, roses and lilies. The fragrance is heavy in the air, and it clings to my skin.
I sigh and drop my head into my arms. I must get married for my family, but every which way there’s an obstacle. Besides Cathy, there are my own mental blockades. Storm can’t know about my power. The last man that did dumped me, and it shattered my heart so badly that it’s never fully recovered.
Isn’t that dumb? Even though what happened with Devlin was years ago, it still destroyed me.
Most people would say, get over it, but the repercussions of him telling the school about my curse continue to haunt me to this day.
I’d be better picking a guy off the street and proposing marriageto himthan I am going to fancy balls.
Stop it, Blair. Stop beating yourself up.
I’m so lost in my own self-doubt that a scraping sound takes me by surprise. My spine snaps to attention, and I spin in the direction of the noise.
“Sorry to startle you,” Devlin says as he steps from the shadows.
“Great. Just great. I come out here for a break, and you’re already tainting the place.”
His jaw tightens. Yes, I can see it. Moonlight cuts across his face, making his beauty seem almost ethereal.
Not that I noticed.
“I’m sorry that I’m such poor company.”
I scoff. “Don’t try to make me feel bad. You’ve made me feel plenty bad in this life. You can take a little of it now.”
He drops his chin to his chest. Does the great, arrogant, cocky Devlin Ross feel guilty about something? Does he have feelings?
“You’re right. I have made you feel bad.” I suck in a breath and he chuckles. “Surprised that I can apologize?”
“No. I’m surprised that you can admit when you’re wrong.”
His head lifts and his eyes search me, looking for something, I don’t know what, but it feels like he’s got X-ray vision that’s sinking through my skin and looking at my bones, turning them over to see what’s on the other side, what I could be hiding.
Then he rips his gaze away. “I never should have come.”
He starts to walk off, and there’s something so vulnerable about him that I can’t stop myself from asking one more time, “Whyareyou here?”
He slips his hands into his pockets before turning to me. “I wanted…” He shakes his head. “I don’t know what I wanted.”
“To make Storm Grayson jealous? To ruin my chances with him?”
Devlin looks surprised like I punched him in the gut. His recovery is quick as he narrows his eyes and says in a hateful voice, “If you don’t want me here, why don’t youmakeme leave?”
I stop breathing.
He’s suggesting that it would be okay to use my power in such a way. As it sits now, my power is always simmering under the surface of my skin, rolling and boiling, waiting to be used, prodding me to release it. It begs to be harnessed. So every so often, like I did tonight with my sister, I give in and use it for trivial things. My sisters are accustomed to fetching things for me, even if I don’t do it that often.
But using my magic to force Devlin into doing something against his will is an insult.
Anger blisters my insides. “I would never use my power like that. You know that. But of course you want everyone to know what kind of mutant I am—for their own protection.”
He shakes his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Bee.”
