Not as funny as me. I'm hilarious.
Darian has only ever been with one woman, whom I cannot stand. A high-level witch, an empathic overload, so she could use your emotions to break minds or control you, and she also worked with Vespera. Sera did everything for Vespera, wanted her crown too, and she was utterly obsessed with Darian. Darian stayed with her because it was easier than the headache shewould cause if he did try to leave; he tried, and she turned into one crazy bitch. He has to protect his brother and sister.
Since that night, all I can think about is Cherry. I have never been like this with a woman; there was a pull to her that I couldn’t explain, something tugging in my chest, rooting her in my mind like a damned curse I didn’t remember asking for.
Darian stormed into the kitchen, already dressed for the meeting, his face locked in a permanent scowl. He opens the fridge, grabs a water bottle, and slams the door shut like it offended him.
“Where were you last night?”
No good morning, no hey, Ronan, how’s your fucking day going? Just straight to the interrogation.
Classic Darian.
I took a sip of my coffee, eyeing him over the rim as I let the silence stretch to piss him off.
I smirk. “Good morning to you, too, sunshine.”
Darian narrowed his eyes, taking a long swig from his water bottle before placing it down on the table with enough force to make it rattle.
“Don’t fucking sunshine me, “he snaps. “You have been disappearing every night for over a week now without telling us where you’re going. So, I’ll ask again—where the hell have you been going?”
I downed the rest of my coffee, placed the mug in the sink, and I knew he would demand I wash it—control freak.
“I was out,” I faced him.
His jaw ticked. “That’s not good enough.”
I arched my brow. “It’s the answer you’re getting.”
“You know we don’t keep secrets.”
I laughed sharply, and right on cue, Keiran’s door creaked open. He stepped out, half-dressed and looking like he wouldrather be anywhere else but here, but I could see the hint of a smirk. We both enjoyed pissing off Darian.
He glanced between us, rolled his eyes, and muttered. “Jesus, you two bicker like an old married couple.” He stepped up beside me, pulled out a mug, and poured himself a coffee—then dumped in four massive teaspoons of sugar. I watched in mild horror.
“How the hell do you still have teeth?”
He smirked slightly and then poured in some whisky before sipping his drink like it wasn’t pure syrup and eight o'clock in the fucking morning.
Why am I not surprised?
I turned back to Darian, who was still glaring at me as if I had just shit in his hands and made him clap. Disgusting image, but point made.
“Who the fuck would marry him?” I jabbed a thumb in Darian’s direction. “Doesn’t respect privacy, acts like a damn drill sergeant, and we don’t keep secrets? That’s rich coming from you. The guy who tells us absolutely nothing when it comes to Vespera.”
Darian’s jaw tightened as he stepped forward, all tense shoulders and barely restrained irritation. Kieran just shrugged, completely unbothered and placed his hand on Darian’s shoulder before he could start spouting his usual, I carry the weight of responsibility speech.
“He’s got a point, man.”
Darian’s death glare swung to him now, but Kieran just took another lazy sip of his sugar-infused coffee. I caught the way his gaze flicked to the sink, right to the mug I had left there, and—yep—there it was—the barely perceptible twitch of his eye.
Control freak.
“Where have you been sneaking off to anyway?” Kieran asked me, and I almost punched him right in the face.
If it wasn’t for trying not to laugh at Darian’s eye twitch, I would have.
“Got yourself a lady friend?”
