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Time forgets how to move, leaving me holding my breath for what seems like an eternity.
With one final yowl, the panther turns to the shadows, disappearing into the darkness of night.
My chest is on fire.
Rhenn glances down at himself, lifting the bottom of his tee where a series of rips separates the fabric. “Great. I liked this shirt.”
“Rhenn…” I start, having no idea how to finish that sentence. My mind hasn’t caught up with everything that’s just happened. How was he so unafraid? How are we both still alive? What if it comes back?
His eyes flash to me, cloudy and dark. For the briefest moment, it’s like I can see an actual storm in them, a shadowy blunder which makes me question if I hit my head when I fell. “Happy, Vix? You almost got yourself killed.”
“I wasn’t—”
“It isn’t safe to be out alone after dark. I’ve told you that.”
“Yeah, but—”
“That’s the last time I step in for you.” He starts forward, moving in the opposite direction than I was headed. “Let’s go.”
Every creak from here until we reach his house makes me jump. Each little noise causing a gust of panic. He doesn’t look at me. He doesn’t talk to me. Rhenn acts as though nothing happened, trudging up the steps and to his door.
“Thanks for helping me,” I blurt out, knowing I wouldn’t be standing here right now if it wasn’t for him.
“Helping? I saved your ass.”
I know I should let it go; his tone suggests this is my fault though, and something about that has me going on the defensive. “I wouldn’t have even been in that situation if it wasn’t for you. I told you I didn’t want to go to the cove. I told you I wanted to leave.”
Turning, he finds his place in front of me, dark strands of hair falling in his face. “Let’s get one thing straight. You don’t tell me shit, Vixen. You have a roof because of me. You eat because of me. You’re only alive now because of me. I choose to keep you here, and I could just as easily choose to end your sorry excuse of an existence. You think things have been bad? I promise you I can make them a whole lot worse.”
“Why are you so awful to me? What did I ever do to you?”
Rhenn glares down at me. The shadows which earlier thundered beneath his irises are gone, leaving two deep pools of charcoal that peer intensely through me. “Go to bed, Vix,” he utters between gritted teeth, like he’s trying to keep himself composed.
“No. Tell me what I did.”
He watches me another moment, our eyes locked in a heated staring contest. Without another word, Rhenn treks up the steps to his porch and opens the door, slamming it behind him.
I step into my own borrowed home, shedding my wet clothes and turning on the shower.
The only thing I’ve done is taken his pride when I refused to bow. I won’t be bullied by some blood thirsty man with anger issues. If he wants to throw his dominance around, fine. I’ll throw it right back.
CHAPTER NINE
RHENN
Ipull my shirt over my head, using the bottom half to wipe the sweat from my face. Ashen plops down beside me on the rocks, leaning back on his hands. What was meant to be a quick jog to let off some steam turned into miles of running. I’m honestly surprised he kept up since a marathon wasn’t what he agreed to.
It helped. I feel more focused now.
Ashen’s used to my random streaks of anger. He knows me better than anyone, which might not be saying much, since there’s a key part of my past he knows very little about, and she’s now living fifteen fucking feet away. The anger isn’t all from her though, and that’s the part he does know. That’s why he’s here, why he ran until we both collapsed. He’s a damn good friend. A brother.
“So,” he starts, just as out of breath as I am, “your new house guest. She’s hot.” Even without looking, I can feel his dumb, cheesy grin. His interest in Sumner shouldn’t surprise me. Ashen’s a ladies’ man through and through, and they love him.
Hot. I don’t know if that’s the word I’d use. “She just needed a place to stay.”
“What does Siena think?” I glance at Ashen, who gives me a knowing smirk. “She pissed?”
I remember the unnecessarily long discussion we had when I mentioned Sumner was going to be staying in my guest house, and the even longer discussion after she met her. “We have an equal dislike for the human.”
