Page 116 of When Night Falls

"That's all you have to say?" I feel it, the inflamed anger boiling in my veins, heating me up as if I were in a sauna.

"There's nothing else to say. Don't let her get into your head." He doesn't look at me as he reaches out to hand me the cloth.

"Everyone is in my head, Rivian. Were you not going to tell me about her?" I refuse his offer, not caring how I look in this moment. I lean against the piano with my arms crossed over my chest to hold up the fabric that's covering me.

"I didn't see a reason to." His lack of empathy irks me, vexation digging into my bones as I watch my husband be a completely different person. Sure, he's been a bit of an ass since I've met him, but he's disassociating himself and avoiding the need to address what just happened and that's not like him. It's also not like him to let someone talk to him, or me, like that so what makes this girl so different?

"What did she mean byhow did her mouth compare to mine?" I mock. The image of him in bed with her mouth around his cock sends frissons of resentment and hysteria to swarm me aggressively. Especially not knowing if it's happened since we officially met.

"Why? Did it make you jealous?" His response doesn't do anything to help the situation.

"Who are you right now?" Disgust lingers in my tone.

"I told you, Cyn. She's nothing. It's nothing. You need to get over it."

"You're right," I turn around to walk away but Rivian rushes to block my exit.

"Don't fucking walk away from me." His demand angers me further, hating how he thinks he has the right to start making demands after the stunt he just pulled.

I reach my hands out at his chest to reject him, attempting to push him back and the strength I didn't know I had causes him to actually fall back a few steps.

"Stay away from me," I yell but I don't have time to stand my ground as he moves us against the wall in the blink of an eye, pinning me in place with hand closed tight around the front of my neck.

"Did you not hear me? I said, it was nothing. She's playing with you because she wantedthisreaction." Rivian stares into my eyes and I want to believe him, want to trust him. Even if what he's saying is true, he still let her treat me like that. He let her talk to him like that. There has to be a reason and the only thing that makes sense is that he's hiding something.

"Well, I guess she got what she came here for then. Now, get your hands off of me." I fight against his grip but he only squeezes harder. Part of me likes the pain, and I think he knows it. But the other part of me is raging with anger and I want out of this position.

I fight for the last ounce of air I have left in my lungs, digging down to shout at him as loud as I can. "NOW!"

"Everything okay in here?" Kacian steps in at just the right time, Rivian's hands loosening around my neck.

My hair is likely disheveled, and I still have blood stained across my lips and chin but I don't care.

"Just fine, Kacian." I push my husband away and pick up the parts of the sheet that drag on the ground. "Please take me to my room." Kacian waits for me at the door as Rivian steps asidealmost reluctantly, but I don't read into it. I simply move past him to meet my guard at the door.

I follow Kacian back to my room, not a word from either of us as we make our way through the hallway which I am grateful for because I fear that the next person who even looks at me, might get their throat slit.

"No visitors for the rest of the night," I tell him and he nods before taking his place across the hall and watches me as I shut my door, locking it behind me.

I recognize that I miss being in Rivian's room, but being back in my own chambers brings a sense of tranquility that I didn't know I needed, but it's not enough. I still feel suffocated.

I'm so fucking pissed. Pissed that Rivian didn't stand up to that bitch while she was supposedly trying to get a reaction out of me. Pissed that she saw our private affairs. Pissed that she's possibly had her mouth on him like that at any point in time. Pissed I let it all affect me.

I rip through my closet, throwing clothing every which way until I find a pair of black leggings and one of my sweaters, hurrying to get dressed. After I have my clothes on, I walk over to the window and rip open the curtains. It's the pinnacle of night, the moon is nearly full and the crisp October wind rustles through the thick trees.

I blink hard, thinking about wanting to be anywhere but here and as I close my eyes, I feel my body drift away.

Before I know it,poof. I'm gone.

36

essence of evil

Rivian

I rip the books by their spines from their places on the shelves, letting them fall to the ground, pages flying free and glass breaking as books crash into the table below.

I'm not one to normally throw a tantrum when things don't go my way, but it's the war in my head against what I want and what I need and how I can't have both that ravages me, causing me to lose control as I teeter the line of compassion and vulnerability or revenge and anger.

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