Page 97 of Dark Soul

Dark sat up on the couch, his elbows on his knees, his head between his hands.

“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice strangled. “I’m sorry.”

He doesn’t trust me.

Tears built up behind her eyes, but she forced them back. She wouldn’t cry. She and Dark had never promised each other anything. If this had just been goodbye sex, that was something she was going to have to learn to live with. She could read between the lines. He certainly didn’t need to tell her twice to get out.

She pulled on her clothes hurriedly, hardly realizing what she was doing, while he stayed in the same position on the too-small couch, his face down by his knees and hidden.

She willed him to look at her, but he never raised his head, even when she pulled the door open with a click and a groan.

Downstairs, Rogue and Ash, his arm in a sling, were engaged in a game of chess together. In the kitchen area, a man she’d never seen before was making himself a tea in a too-small mug. He was tall and well-built, like the rest of them, but some years older, judging by the wrinkles around his eyes and mouth.

“Alexia Miller, I presume,” he said. He had a crisp British accent.

She nodded, not saying anything.

“I’m Thorne,” he said. “I’m going to drive you to your hotel.”

“My hotel?”

“I don’t suppose you want to go back to Kvyat’s house. I wouldn’t recommend it. The police will be there all night and—“

“But won’t the police suspect me, if I don’t show up again?” Fear rose up in her throat. “I swear I had nothing to do with any of this.”

“We know that. And we’ve already taken care of it with the police. I’ve got your things in my car. You can go anywhere you like, but I’ve reserved a room for you in a nice hotel.”

Anywhere I like …

A noise from the staircase had her looking back. Dark had followed her down. He was still barefoot, but had pulled on a navy blue henley that made his eyes look darker.

She looked at him, willing him to say something, but the connection between them seemed to have been severed.

“The hotel sounds fine,” she told Thorne decisively. She turned back to Dark, who still stood frozen by the stairs.

“I guess this is goodbye?” she said, wondering if her voice sounded as strangled as it felt.

She waited for an instant, holding her breath.

Rogue and Ash had stopped their game and were looking at them, as was Thorne.

Please say it’s not.

Please say it’s not goodbye.

But Dark didn’t say a word, and though the other men were still looking at her, none of them said anything either.

Fine.

Fine.

I won’t let this break me.

She put on her boots and picked up her jacket, following Thorne to the door.

30

* * *