rld spun. My veins were still on fire from whatever Lucian had tri

ing in front of it before it could drive

ed, barely looking inside. My head was pounding, my heart racing.

onse, I turned towar

fr

na

y heart dropped into my stomach, th

started, then flinched wh

kind of mate can't e

ike I was nothing more than a b

I snapped, jabbing a finger at the spot just beneath my col

y it. Of cour

g molten. "You rejected me, Ronan. Remember that? You left me to ro

ut there was no sm

"Which makes it all the more pathetic that

eath

smell it on you. Every time. A rogue who can't even

and cruel. I stiffened, every muscle locking in place. F

t give him th

"Thank you," I said, voice eerily calm. "If that's trul

narrowed,

ntinued, the pain in my chest coiled tight, caged. "I don't need yo

nish into the night. The look on his face was almost worth it-th

s would make me cry ag

shut behind me. Ronan didn't stop me. He just drove off l

up the steps to my house. But the

e-standing with his back

That domineering stillness. That aura of

" I said

him. Still tall. Still dressed lik

you to come h

y the audacity. Then I let

hed me from after Mom died? The one you filled

tened, but I

my voice rising. "To work myself bloody just to stay one step ahead of ruin? You didn't call

mmoned you," he said calmly, "

ood b

father, none of tha

cked

asked quietly. "What i

ll destroy everything you'

d in a

dded. "It's in your blood, Selie

g anyone's Luna," I said. "

to walk

voice cut

want to mak

top

y," he said. "But the bond s

ched m

could break him." He leaned in, whispering: "Imagine it. Him

he said, softer now. "And you won't

t turn

't walk aw