Page 6 of Master of My Life

She stiffened and glared at him. “I don’t need to go to a Gathering to know I want to be with you.”

She brushed past him and stomped toward the stairs. At the top step, she whirled around. “Do you

want to see me fucking other men? Is that it?”

Chase’s jaw dropped open.

She turned and ran down the stairs, swiping at the tears that burned her cheeks as they fell. Ethan’s

room was at the end of the hallway. He’d take her home and—

And what?

At the bottom step, her legs weakened and gave out. She folded over and buried her face in her

hands. Why had she accused Chase of something so awful?

But why was he pushing her to go? Why did it matter so much?

Why don’t I want to go?

Images crept into her mind from when she visited the Manor with Richard. The hands . . . The

temptation . . . What if they came after her again?

Or worse, what if she got angry? What if she lost control and hurt someone?

She huddled on the floor, tears streaming down her cheeks. I don’t want to hurt anyone!

She pressed her fingers into her eyes until she saw gold sparkles. Oh, why did she have to be

what she was? Why couldn’t she be a normal human girl?

Chase absently traced the scar that ran down the side of his face as he stared at a photo he’d taken of

a sunrise hanging above the staircase. Had Sabrina seriously just accused him of wanting her to go to

a Gathering for his own benefit?

Her going to a Gathering had nothing to do with what he wanted. Sabrina needed the chance to see

her natural environment. Needed to see what it would have been like had she been raised as she

should have been, in the circle of The Brotherhood, with admiration and respect.

He stumbled over to the couch and dropped onto it. He exhaled low and slow, wincing at the pain

in his heart. How could she think I’m so shallow?

This week was her last opportunity to attend before the end of the year. The Elders had given him

a deadline. If she didn’t go on Friday, they couldn’t get married. Period.

He’d tried for so long to be gentle, but it hadn’t worked. It was time to be blunt.

“Chase?”

“What?” he snapped, but regretted it instantly when she flinched and stepped back. Her eyes were

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