“Don't you walk away from me!”
He ignores me.
“I'm talking to you, asshole!” I shout, but he makes no move to acknowledge me as he stomps past the tree line.
“He's walking away from her,” I hear Amara say, along with several pairs of feet following at a distance.
“Oh, no. Bad idea, Darius,” Zander warns. “She really doesn't like to be ignored. I wouldn't recom–” A glittering orange stream suddenly slams into him, lifting him off his feet and flinging him across the grounds with a whoosh, his body smashing through the wooden fence.
“Zander!” I scream.
“I'm fine. I'm fine.” Bounding to his feet, he stumbles but catches himself, brushing himself off and giving me a smiling thumbs up. “Just a scratch.”
Amara and Tristan howl in laughter, while I feel nothing but rage.
Ever so slowly, I turn my head and glare at Darius, my blood boiling at the sight of his retreating back.
I sprint.
Once reaching him, I quickly crouch down and sweep out his feet, watching him fall flat on his back with a loud oomph.
“What the fuck, Lena?!” Darius roars.
Crouching above him, I say in a sinister voice, “Don't ever touch one of mine again.”
Darius bounds to his feet in a single motion and scowls down at me. “One of yours?”
“Yes, mine.” I dig my finger into his chest. “Zander. Is. Mine.” Giving one last twist of my finger, I slap both palms to his chest, shoving him back.
Jealousy flashes within his gaze and he reaches for me.
I dart to the side. Grabbing his wrist, I twist his arm behind his back and kick out at the back of his legs, slamming him to his knees.
He stills. “Let go of me. ”
“No.”
Darius grinds his teeth. “I'm warning you, Lena. Let go of me now. I don't want to hurt you.”
I press my lips to his ear, speaking softly. “What makes you think you'll hurt me? Maybe I'll hurt you.”
Darius suddenly spins into the arm lock and whips his free arm out to cuff the back of my neck, dragging my face to his. I can feel the heat of his breath on my lips as he growls, “Lena, I'm not playing.”
I don't know why, but instead of reacting like any sane person would in the face of his wrath, my body fills with excitement, desperate to see how far I can push him.
“Well, maybe I am,” I purr. Slapping his arms away, I shove at his chest and raise my hand, a loud smack ringing in the air when I slap his cheek.
Gasps sound behind me.
“He just got bitch slapped,” Kace says.
“Do you still think locking us up was a good idea?” Amara asks.
“I’m regretting that decision more and more with each moment that passes,” Tristan replies.
Cheek reddening by the second, Darius’ lip curls as he moves to his feet with a growl. “Lena…”
Gods, he’s furious. Maybe I shouldn't have slapped him.
I lunge forward and slap his other cheek.
Or twice. Definitely shouldn't have slapped him twice.
He stills, all but for the muscle ticking in his cheek and the veins throbbing in his neck, and tries to control his rage, but I can see in his eyes the exact moment that thinly-held control snaps.
“Fuck it,” he snarls and jabs at my shoulder.
I swat it away.
He pauses, frowning down at my hand before he jabs at my other shoulder.
I swat that one away as well.
Surprised but undeterred, he lunges for me.
I spin, laughing as he rushes past.
Turning to face me, his anger evaporates. In its place is intrigue, a curious light flashing behind those blue eyes as he evaluates me from head to toe. Reassessing me.
