Page 19 of A Cruel Kindness

“Bell,” Soren called from down the short flight of stairs.

I was standing next to him seconds later, as if I’d teleported there. I didn’t focus on the walk over, just the fact that I was next to him.

As we walked silently back to our room, I was reminded that not only would we be locked in together for the night, there was only one bed to share.

I restrained a muttered curse as I was forced to confront my fate.

Chapter 6

Soren

“Go take a shower,” were the first words I said to Bellamy when the door closed behind us, shutting us away. Alone.

I’d been able to manage it around other people, to focus on the other smells that could serve as a distraction. But alone, in a room that was kept surgically clean, there was nothing to distract me from the fact that the scent of her skin—or her hair or perfume or whatever it was—was making me violent.

I’d planned to take this time to ask her what the fuck she was doing here, but I wouldn’t be able to if I was restraining the urge to bury my face in her neck.

“Excuse me?” Bellamy snapped, whipping around to face me. Well, that was no good. She’d moved so fast she created a slight wind that slapped me across the face with that musky, warm scent.

My hands twitched at my side. Maybe I should sneak out and head to the range, work off a bit of energy.

“Go take a shower,” I repeated, the words pushed through clenched teeth.

Bellamy huffed, not unlike a dragon blowing smoke from its snout. She took another deep breath, like she was restraining the urge to launch herself at me.

I kind of hoped she would, imagining what it would feel like for her too-delicate hands to wrap around my neck, how it would feel for her to push me back into the wall, finally showing some emotion other than her carefully planned responses and sterile smiles.

“I really think you need to rephrase that statement,” Bellamy said, and despite the calm, steady way she spoke, I could tell she was suppressing rage and the urge to shriek at me. That thought landed with a concerning lack of annoyance.

“Woah there, princess,” I said, wrapping my hands around her wrists to steady her. Electricity shot up my forearms, making me grip her harder. Almost like my body was scared someone was going to take her away from me.

“Tell me to take a shower one more time and I will actually kill you in your sleep,” Bellamy said, her eyes narrowing while she focused on my jaw. There we go, I thought to myself. That was much better than her careful diplomacy.

I made myself keep a straight face, even though that sliver of rage made me want to smile. “I didn’t know you had this side to you. Where did the prim and proper Bell I know go?” I didn’t really know her anymore, not with six formative years separating the last time I saw her, but that was besides the point.

“Squashed,” Bellamy gritted out, trying to twist out of my hold. Unfortunately for both of us, the Bond didn’t understand that she was just resisting that one touch. All it understood was that she was trying to get away from me.

NO, the Bond bellowed, sending a deep, irresistible urge to throw her over my shoulder so that she couldn’t flee along with it.

I had to commit the lesser of two evils. I disarmed her quickly, twisting her arms behind her back and yanking her towards me so she couldn’t wiggle away. I was too smart to get myself into another precarious situation, so I kept her close, but still several inches away from my body.

Far enough to prevent a … reaction.

Focusing on positioning Bellamy stole an inch too much of my focus, because in a flash, she dug her nails into my skin, shoved her elbow into my midriff, and hooked her foot around my knee to break my stance.

I let her go, my hands already raised in surrender. “Understood, Bell.”

She turned around to face me again, dark hair wild and brown eyes blazing. She looked different like this, when her hair wasn’t pulled back in that simple, neat style I was so used to seeing on the news.

After a second where I was sure her hands were going to find their way around my neck, she seemed to regain her composure. I could see the way she wrestled herself back under control.

It started with her posture, going back to that stiff, straight line. Then her soft, close-lipped smile, perfect and emotionless. Her eyes were the last to calm down, emotion slipping out of them like water going down a drain.

Curiosity burned my chest, wanting—no, needing—to figure out what it took to truly steal her control. I wouldn’t get the chance if I was the first one to lose it. If I wanted to know, I needed to move carefully, without spooking her.

With my hands still raised, I said carefully, “I’m offering you the shower first. That is not me telling you that you need it.” She really did, or else I might maul her.

Bellamy breathed in, just one careful rise and fall of her chest. I wouldn’t be shocked if she was aware of and controlled every breath she took. “Thank you,” she finally said graciously, before turning away from me.