Chapter 34
“Stop it, you two.” Hissing, I grabbed Dion’s and Bryon’s forearms and tried to push both of them apart. I could just as well have attempted to move boulders.
“Jama, if I were you, I would either move or tell your puppy to leave us alone.”
Dion felt murderous and provoked, and I could tell so much from the way he stared daggers at my childhood friend. I narrowed my eyes at him, wondering if he’d been eavesdropping.
“I’m no puppy!”
My head turned to Bryon, who definitely didn’t pick up on the danger he was in.
I groaned and cursed myself for defending Dion earlier.
“This better be important, Dion,” I said, then turned back to Bryon in an attempt to defuse the situation.
If this went on for much longer, I’d be dizzy from all the back and forth.
“It’s safer for you to leave. I’ll find you later. ”
At that moment, I felt Dion’s arms reaching out, tugging me toward him until my back met his front. What a massively territorial move, unbelievable! Anger started to boil in my veins—at both of the men.
“If you think I’ll leave you alone with this madman, you’re wrong, Naya.”
“If you ask nicely, I can show you exactly how mad I can be.”
“For fuck’s sake, Dion. Bryon. Stop it.” I aimed to extract myself from Dion’s arms, but they were as flexible as steel bands around me as he grumbled in displeasure at my escape attempts. “Trust me, Bryon. We’ll talk later.”
My old friend wasn’t happy at all, but he finally did the wise thing and retreated. “Come find me when you’re done.” Bryon turned around and shuffled back to the fires.
“I will,” I called after him at the same moment Dion chose to address his retreating form loud enough for him to hear. “I wouldn’t wait for her!”
Luckily, Bryon didn’t react or turn around when Dion taunted him.
I clenched my teeth, finally freeing myself from the possessive hold of the territorial bastard behind me. I spun around and glared at him. “What the fuck is wrong with you, Dion?”
“You looked like you needed saving.”
I clucked my tongue in disapproval and scowled at Dion’s smug and self-satisfied face. “I wasn’t in need of a savior—I talked to a friend!”
“Ah yes, because he totally sees you as a friend.”
“You were eavesdropping.” My hand shot out, and I jabbed my forefinger into his chest. A wince escaped my throat—it had been like pushing into metal. “You bastard! You followed us and listened!”
Dion had the audacity to shrug. “If you really think I would allow someone I don’t know or like to isolate you from everyone—well, darling, that’s on you.”
Darling? Who did he think he was?—Thain? “Maybe I hoped that you—for once in your life—would do the decent thing. Or that you’d at least trust me with this.”
“Your track record when it comes to decisions concerning your safety isn’t the best, Jama. Also, do you still have delusions that I’m decent?”
“You’re an infuriating asshole.” I was so, so angry at him.
My fists balled tightly, and I was sure we’d fight again, but I didn’t care.
“Who do you think you are, Dion? First, you treat me like air—or worse, the dirt under your shoes for days, telling me I’m your biggest problem, and now you’re back to playing the overbearing brute, trying to save me from everything, including my own shadow?
I’m so sick of it and have enough of you. ”
“As if you could ever have enough of me. And your shadow could be far from harmless with the wrong people around.”
My answer got stuck in my throat as I felt something dark grabbing my dress from behind, pulling me a few steps backward until my back hit a tree. Dion stalked up to me and grinned smugly. “See?”
“Stop being so infuriating!”
“Once you stop actively seeking danger.”
“I’m not seeking danger! And for the love of the gods, stop crowding me.”
“Thinking about it, I prefer you caged by the tree and me. Because there are a few things I’ll have to make clear, and for that, I can’t have you running away. As much as I enjoy a good chase from time to time, now is not the right occasion for that.”
My chest heaved with anger as Dion stood still like a predator toying with his prey.
Weird how he had himself under control while I was rapidly descending further into madness.
Sure, not all the turmoil was his fault.
Some of the things Bryon had said had perfectly primed me for fury, like when he’d dropped the good mother comment.
The audacity! But right now, my most pressing problem was Dion and how close he stood to me.
“I’m not in the mood to listen to your insanities.”
“Doesn’t matter to me.”
“But it does to me! Release me this instant.” Of course, he didn’t let me go. Instead, he crowded me even closer to the tree.
“Listen well, for this is important. You will not ride with that boy to the capital. I won’t allow it.”
It was enough. I’d reached my breaking point and couldn’t stop myself from screaming in his face.
“Fuck you, Dion. You have no right to tell me what to do! And if you’d given me the courtesy of asking, you’d have found out that I have no intention of leaving the party.
But no, you have to show your damn bossy self again.
I’m tempted to ride with Rewi and Bryon just to spite you. ”
“And then do what, exactly? Play house in an unimportant town with the puppy? Subject yourself to a boring male and a life of lackluster fucking, popping out a few heirs, and being a good mother while he drinks the money away? And all that while the worlds slowly go to shit and perish? Is this what you want? Is this what you’re trying to tell me? ”
Each question was louder than the one before, and he stressed each one with an angry snarl. And this was when I had an epiphany.
“You’re jealous.”
“If that thought makes you see reason, then, of course, feel free to think so. I won’t stop you.”
“You are. Just as you have been jealous of Thain the whole time. Only that this here is not only in your head, right? This time, there’s someone who means something to me.
So yes, you’re jealous, Dion. But let me repeat the words you surely overheard earlier directed at someone else.
I have no interest in anything romantic or else. Not now, not ever.”
“Neither have I, Jama.”
“Your actions say otherwise.”
Dion’s eyes narrowed, and he reached out, grabbing my chin with one of his hands.
Despite his dominating gesture, his touch felt surprisingly gentle.
“It’s the truth. And maybe it’s time to speak about another hard fact.
No matter what you think or do, I’ll never—never in a million winters—pursue you in that way.
No matter what happens between us, I’ll never make you mine, Jama. I’d rather die.”
I stared daggers at his stupidly beautiful face.
The air around us was almost crackling with static electricity.
Dion was way too close as he spoke, and I could tell he was dead serious.
It wasn’t deflection because I’d accused him of jealousy, instead he was absolutely one hundred percent telling me his truth.
Which made his next action even more confusing.
Because right after his declaration that he’d prefer death to being with me, Dion crushed his lips to mine.
I was too perplexed to shove him away, which, honestly, I should have done.
Instead, my eyes widened, then fluttered shut as his surprisingly smooth mouth landed on mine.
Everything about Dion was solid, but not his lips.
A softness, a fragility, so at odds with the fierce energy that had consumed us just moments ago—our connection was barely a whisper, much like a question we were both still trying to find the answer to.
After what felt like an eternity, instinct took over, and despite everything we’d shouted at each other—despite all the anger inside of me—I kissed him back.
At first, the tenderness between us lingered, fluttering touches, inquiries, and answers at the same time.
I melted into his unyielding arms as Dion deepened our kiss—or did I?
—and all rational thinking waved the white flag in total surrender.
I’d been conquered, and he was helping himself to the spoils of this war—not that I minded at all.
As he pulled me closer into his embrace, the soft, cautious kiss escalated into something more as our lips explored each other. When I felt Dion brush his tongue against the seam of my lips, they parted almost on their own accord, allowing him entry.
His scent engulfed me, reminding me of fresh rainfall in an evergreen forest, and his taste was just as exquisite.
I never thought darkness could have an aroma, but if I had to describe what Dion tasted like, it would be just that.
Like shadows, roasted hazelnut, and rich, dark chocolate, but with a sweetness pulling me in. One I couldn’t get enough of.
We explored each other, our lips and tongues joined in an ancient dance that slowly morphed into a hungrier version of itself.
By now, Dion had pulled me as close as humanly possible without crushing me, and I was held captive in his embrace, with the tree still in my back.
His arms were banded around my waist, but as the kiss deepened, he wrapped my hair around one of his fists and pulled on it like a leash, tilting my head so his lips could explore mine even deeper.
For once, his attempt to control me didn’t make me angry, but resulted in a million tingles erupting across my skin. I was wax in his hands.
My own arms embraced him too, I was holding on to him as if my life depended on it.
Dion was the only thing keeping me upright at this very moment, and he’d become the focal point of my entire existence.
Our kiss resonated everywhere within me, especially in my core, where energy pooled together and filled me with an agitation I’d never experienced with any of the men I’d kissed before.