She trailed off, then turned to me. “Charlie?”
The desperation in her voice was heartbreaking. She couldn’t do this on her own, and that said a damn lot for a girl like Kallie.
“My grandfather taught me how to break bonds,” I blurted.
“Uh, okay…” Marcus sounded confused— until it hit him. “Wait. You mean… you want to breakourbond? You can’t do that, Charlie!”
“It’s not my decision,” I stated coolly.
Marcus huffed. “What is this, some sort of threat? Anintervention?”
“No,” Kallie insisted. “I just can’t keep doing this anymore.”
“So you’re just going to give up on me?” he demanded.
“You say that like Iwantto!” Kallie shouted. “Marcus, all I want is for us to get along. I want to secure our bond. I want us to betogether, and it’s killing me that we aren’t. If you can’t do that, fine, I’ll respect your decision. But you need to respectmydecision to walk away, because I can’t stay here and love you if I can’t love you fully.”
Marcus surprisingly kept his cool. “You’re giving me an ultimatum. You’re threatening me so I’llbehave.”
“If I have to do that, clearly you’re misbehaving!” Kallie snapped. “This isn’t some empty threat. I need to know where this is going, and if you can’t make a decision, I’m done trying to beat an answer out of you.”
Marcus sat there in silence for a few beats. “I don’t believe you. You’re not going anywhere.”
His words hitmeheavy, so I couldn’t imagine how they must’ve affected Kallie.
“Oh my gods,” Kallie said in realization. “Isthatwhy you’re doing this? You’re stringing me along because you know I’ll never leave? That’s abusive as fuck, Marcus!”
He blew a breath. “Wow. That’s a strong word. I wouldnever?—”
Kallie slammed her hands on the table and shot to her feet. “I don’t care what youthinkyou’re doing. I’m telling you that I’m hurt, and you don’t seem to care!”
“Of course I care!” Marcus insisted.
“Then why don’t you want tobe with me?!” Kallie screamed.
“You think that’s why I won’t secure our bond— because I don’t want it?” Marcus raged.
“It sure as fuck feels like it, because why else would you avoid it this long?” Kallie demanded. “There’s no reason why we can’t be together! Nothing is stopping us but you!”
The air shifted around us, and magic tingled up and down my arms. A glowing rope appeared in my vision, and I realized the heat of their argument had brought their bond energy to the surface, where I could see the spiritual tethers tying them to one another.
The rope was so thick I didn’t think I’d be able to wrap my hands around it if it were solid. An ethereal glow pulsed back and forth between them as passion surged across their bond.
“I want you to have the world,” Marcus said.
“All Iwantis you!” Kallie shot back.
“You’re not going to have any options if you’re stuck with me!” Marcus shouted. “Once we secure our bond, that’s it.Thisis all you’re ever going to get. I’m a sorry excuse for a mate, and I don’t deserve you.”
“What’s going on?” Ava’s voice cut across the balcony. We all turned as she wheeled outside beside us. Her voice sounded groggy, like she was still trying to wake up. “I could hear you guys screaming from our room.”
Kallie plopped back down into her chair. “We’re just having afriendly chat.”
“Kallie wants to break our bond!” Marcus cried.
I felt my wife’s panic flicker across our connection. Ava’s tone turned sympathetic. “You can’t do that. Kallie, I know you’re hurting, but you two can work this out.”
“I know you think that because Charlie would never give up on you, but Marcus has already given up on me,” Kallie said sadly. “He did a long time ago.”
