Page 12 of Shadowed Bond

“Trust me, I don’t,” I counter, just as the man who had been staring outside walks towards the food court.

I see him in the reflection of the window before he reaches the drinks fridge. His gaze turns towards our table, lingering for a moment too long.

Again.

Ares turns his head as if to see what I’m looking at, and I notice the water in my bottle ripple.

Tiny, but visible.

I nudge his foot with my boot, and his eyes snap to mine.

“Don’t,” I say quietly.

“I wasn’t doing anything.”

“The water in my bottle says otherwise.”

Irritation flits through his eyes before the water stills, and Ares turns his full attention back to the man. If he even has just a few brain cells, he will leave.

After paying for his drink, he disappears, and Ares shakes his head, turning back to his food. He’s already demolished one baguette and is starting on a burger.

“I can handle people looking at me,” I say evenly.

“I didn’t say you couldn’t.”

“Then don’t act like I need you to step in.”

“I wasn’t protecting you.”

“No?”

“No. I was deciding whether he was irritating enough to become a problem. I’m a tad pissed and need to beat the shit out of someone.”

I sigh. “Right.” I almost smile and suppress it; I am not going to encourage his behaviour. Nope. Definitely not.

His gaze stays on me a second too long.

I look down first, more annoyed by that than I should be, and take another chip simply to have something to do.

For several minutes, we eat in silence, and I welcome it. Ares finishes half his food before speaking again.

“Come on. Let’s get this mission over with so you can return in time for your Blood Moon Ball.”

The sarcasm is obvious, and so is the judgement beneath it.

“You say that as though attending is a crime,” I remark.

“It’s a waste of time.” He shrugs as he stands up and leads the way out.

“It is tradition.” I pick up my bottle of unfinished water.

“So are a lot of stupid things.”

I study him for a moment.

There are plenty of things I could say, but he already knows them all. That the Blood Moon Ball is where many will meet their mates. That finding our mate matters to many of us. That many traditions are NOT stupid.

Instead, I simply stare at his back as he opens the door and holds it open with his foot before I catch it, and he continues to the car.