Page 29 of A Wild Darkness

He brings his hand up to wipe his eye again, and I get a subtle whiff of cigarettes and leather. “You tell me.”

My stomach flutters with a different kind of feeling from being put on the spot. “He used to be my friend.”

“Is he still your friend?” he asks, a noticeable tick in his jaw.

“No.”

“How long ago?”

“It’s been a while.”

“Make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

“You don’t have the right to tell me who I can and cannot see.”

“I do.” His jaw clenches. “You’re supposed to be my girlfriend. I can’t have the Society thinking otherwise. Am I making myself clear?”

My lips purse together, and I think about pushing back, but I don’t. I just let it go, because I get why he would be worried I might slip and tell someone I was dating, or they’d be worried if I was gone for long periods of time. “Fine.”

“Good, or I’ll have to take care of him.”

“I got a call that our outfits for the masquerade ball tomorrow night have arrived,” he says, changing the subject like he didn’t just threaten to kill someone. “I can come pick them up tomorrow morning.”

“How about now?”

“Now?”

“It’s getting late, and I don’t want you out here after the sun goes down.”

“Fine. Tonight.”

As I bend to gather my things, a light breeze blows a curl across my face. I go to brush it away, but Sebastian takes his two fingers and tucks it behind my ear. “You need help cleaning up.”

“I can do it.”

“That wasn’t a question,” he tells me, helping gather my supplies before walking me to my car.

I’m about to open the door when he speaks again. “Oh, and Stevie?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t ever come out here by yourself again. Dangerous people like to come out at night.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

STEVIE

Sebastian’s black sports car is close behind me as I pull into the subterranean garage at Thompson Manor. After I checked myself through security at the bottom of the hill, I took the windy, dark road all the way until Sebastian and River’s massive gothic mansion came into view. It was as overwhelming as the first time here a few weeks ago. The entire drive here, I thought about how I’m going to bring up Sebastian leaving a massive bouquet of white roses inside my condo while I was out. The gesture was sweet since they’re my favorite, but I am still frustrated with his audacity to invade my privacy like he did.

I park to the right of my sister’s car and turn off the engine.

Butterflies settle into my stomach with anticipation of what I’m getting myself into.

Sebastian knocks on my window, as if I’m taking too long to exit my car. I flip my loose curls over my shoulder, then open the door and step out.

“Did you try to lose me?” he accuses playfully.

“Of course not.”