Page 75 of To Bleed A Kingdom

“Well, I’m not,” I say, following him over the fence and matching my pace with his, his strides easily two to my one.

“Why? So you can pinpoint everything I’m doing wrong?”

My lips turn down. “You're not wrong on everything, just the more important matters.”

Tossing a dry look over his shoulder, Darius returns his attention to the path ahead and speeds up his pace. “I'm not interested in anything else you have to say.”

Does he actually think that he can beat me in stubbornness? Ha!

“But if you just listen, I –”

“Enough!” he roars, whirling on his feet. “I'll not speak on this matter any longer!”

I blink. Once, twice, three times. Then he spins away and continues on towards the forest. I make no move to follow. Feet planted to the ground, I'm too shocked at his outburst to do anything else. But the blood sizzling within my veins quickly thaws my frozen feet and I storm after him.

“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.”

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