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Not this time. He’s pissed.
Well, you know what? When the first thing he says is, “You’re not going anywhere without me,” I’m pretty damn pissed, too.
“I’m a grown ass woman,” I scoff. “I can go wherever I want.”
“No. Not without me.”
He can’t be serious. Didn’t he hear what Rys said?
“Oberon wants me to do this.” I pointedly forget to mention what’s hanging over my head. If I refuse, there’s a cell waiting for me at Samradh, another Faerie prison. No, thanks. “I have to go.”
“No.”
“He’s the king, Jim. I know you haven’t been in Faerie all that long, but let me tell you something. You don’t tell the king of the Seelie Court no.”
“I’m not telling him no,” Jim retorts. “I’m telling my girlfriend that I’m not staying behind while she goes out on some mission to save a world that has nothing to do with her or me. You feel like you have to go? Fine. But I’m going to be right there with you.”
What? No!
“Jim—”
“Give me one reason why I can’t.”
I can give him a hundred.
He can tell, too. Before I open my mouth again, he says, “I lost you once, babe. It’ll kill me if you go missing again and I don’t know where you are. You told me there’s no phones. No way to keep in contact then, right? And you’d want to leave me behind? You’d do that to me?”
My mouth was open, ready to shoot back my own answer. I realize, at that moment, I don’t have one. I close my mouth, my teeth clicking together with the force.
Shit.
He… I can’t tell him that he has to stay behind, can I? Unless I finally want to tell him the truth—all of it—then I can’t really be the one to put my foot down.
“Okay.” I shudder out a breath. What else can I do? “Fine. If that’s what you want, then fine. But don’t blame me if you change your mind later.”
Besides, it’s not like Rys will let Jim come with us. He put me into this position. He can be the bad guy and tell Jim no.
“Change my mind? Why would I do that?”
Maybe because, even if Rys does give Jim the okay, eventually I’ve gotta come clean and odds are Jim’s not gonna want to stick around after that?
Knock, knock.
“Don’t answer that,” snaps Jim.
Excuse me?
That tone. That tone. If he had said it any nicer, I might’ve listened. Lord knows that I don’t want to face Rys right about now. I’m that stinking pissed at his interference. But the way Jim snaps at me…
I twist my face into an apologetic grimace that I don’t really mean. “Sorry, Jim. I don’t want to be rude.”
“Hel—”
I ignore him, swinging the door open before he can try to stop me.
Rys is standing there, a flat expression on his stunning face. His jaw is tight, though, making his scar stand out. I’ve seen that look before. Something has definitely got to him, but he’s careful not to show it.
I can guess. I wonder, how long was he standing outside of the door, listening to us? Considering I’m one hundred percent sure he set me up, I’m thinking he’s been out there since Jim asked me if we could talk privately.
