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While her hand was covered in a glove, part of her wanted to deny it. Pretend like none of this was happening.

“Yeah.” Her eyes flicked to Dawson standing by the bar. He held his drink in his hand, waiting for a signal from her.

Following her gaze, Ben sighed. “So you actually brought him.”

“Yes, Ella asked me to. I assumed she told you.”

She was sure it was written as a warning on the invitations: Careful, Aidric Dawson will be in attendance.

He nodded once. “She did, but I assumed you wouldn’t actually go through with it.”

She shrugged awkwardly. The scar on her arm pulsed, and it took everything in her not to touch it. It’s your fault. It drummed in her veins. Itched on her skin. Burrowed into her bones.

“Why wouldn’t I bring him?”

“Come on. Someone like him can take advantage of you. You’re still in a fragile state.”

“I’m not fragile.” Or was she?

You’re broken.

You’re a burden.

Silver eyes narrowed on her from across the garden, as if Aidric could sense her discomfort.

“You know what I mean,” Ben continued. She wanted this conversation to end, but she wouldn’t run. She could withstand his condescending tone. She’d withstood much worse.

“I think you don’t know me that well anymore, and you don’t know Aidric at all.”

But as she said it, her chest tightened. Her hands tingled with pins and needles. It wasn’t because of Ben. All day she’d had a feeling of impending doom. It was getting worse and worse, and she couldn’t figure out why. Was she so broken that seeing her best friend happy brought her nothing but pain?

“He’s not good for you,” Ben said coldly before taking another sip from his beer.

Her stomach churned. She felt dizzy. So many happy, laughing faces around her.

She locked eyes with Aidric, who looked ready to breathe fire. The last thing she needed was a fight between Ben and Aidric on Ella’s special day. She managed a smile at Aidric, and he gave her a short nod in understanding.

But anxiety pressed in on her. Sat on her chest. The Dark Magic in her arm beat like it had a heart of its own.

“You know he’ll break your heart,” Ben continued matter-of-factly.

“Yes, I know that.” Her voice sounded so small. She had known from the moment she allowed herself to open up to Aidric Dawson that it wouldn’t end well for her. She was playing with fire, and eventually she was going to get burned.

She wanted to say more, but the words got caught in her throat as the steady drum of pain from her arm spread through her entire body.

“I’m not saying it to hurt you,” Ben continued. “I just don’t want you to be naive when it comes to him. He’s a Dawson. He comes from a family of egomaniacs.”

A jolt of pain shot through her arm, and she inhaled sharply. Ben didn’t seem to notice and kept talking about how Dawson would never see her as an equal. Across the garden, she saw Aidric’s eyebrows furrowed in worry.

She tried to play it off with another smile.

“Ben, I think I just need to get some water,” she said as sweat rolled down the back of her neck.

She was about to excuse herself and leave when someone she didn’t know called Ben over.

“Sure, I’ll be right there,” Ben responded before he turned to Mira. “It was good seeing you.”

“You too.”