Page 69 of The Most Wanted Witch

No. It was his stone, and I was not telling him how to use it because no matter what anyone said, I wasn’t controlling, not the way he was.

“Is there a problem?” He stared at my crossed arms and fisted hands.

“Of course not.”

He smiled, as if he knew I was lying. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of saying a word, and it was killing me.

* * *

Bibbi glared across the room at where Gillian had taken a seat next to Hawk on the couch, who was reading over some papers.

“She never stops,” Bibbi whispered. As much as I wanted to stay and commiserate with Bibbi, I’d rather pull my eyeballs out of my head than remain here. How long was I going to deny it? The disgusting truth was that I had a thing for Hawk. Some messed-up part of my brain wanted him, and there was no getting past it. I’d have to bear it while waiting for the feelings to fade away. It would definitely happen next time he did something else high-handed, but I’d had enough torture tonight.

I got up and grabbed my jacket off the hook.

“Where are you going? Do you need a buddy?” Bibbi asked.

Hawk’s attention shifted to me. I pretended not to notice him or Gillian.

“I’m going to do a perimeter run. I’m not going to be long, and it’s better off if I go alone.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” she asked.

“Where are you headed?” Oscar asked, walking in the back room.

“Just going for a walk,” I said, trying not to let the desperate need to escape leak out into my voice. It was hard when I couldn’t get out of the building without having to answer to every person in the place.

“I was heading to Zark’s. I’ll head out with you. It’ll be a nice little moonlight stroll,” he said, smiling at me as he put on his act for the room.

“Sounds lovely,” I said, not caring how it sounded as long as I got out of that room.

I felt Oscar’s hand on the small of my back as we walked out. “Where are we heading?” he asked. His hand dropped as he switched back to friend mode when we hit the streets.

“Anywhere but there.” I walked, not caring where I ended up right now. “You know, if you keep going with this little charade, people might start to believe there’s something going on with us.” At the moment, it seemed like a nicer reality than being the girl who was always watching Hawk with someone else.

“That’s the point. I hope he does. He’s being an idiot, and I’m enjoying this. Did you see his face when we left?” He smiled like a man who’d tasted triumph.

“No.”

“Good. It’s even better that you didn’t look back. But just so you know, it was burning him up.” Oscar laughed. He might’ve been the only man in Xest who found it amusing when Hawk was annoyed with him.

“Trying to drive us together isn’t a good idea, because I don’t want him,” I said.

Oscar laughed harder. I glared at him. Hekeptlaughing.

“Fine. I’m attracted to him, but I don’t want to be.”

“You want him and he wants you, and I want you to be with him. It’s got to be you. There’s no one else like you. He can’t be with someone weaker than him, especially not from Xest. They’d idolize him, and he’d eventually run roughshod over them because it’s who he is. If you don’t stand up to Hawk, that’s what happens. It’s not to be mean. His tendency is to run the show and call the shots.” Oscar shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal.

I picked up my pace, wishing I’d gone alone. “So I get to be the lucky person because I tell him to go to hell?”

“It doesn’t hurt that he wants you more than I’ve seen him ever want anyone.” His voice had lost every shred of humor.

“That’s not true.” I picked up my pace even more.

“I know him. It is,” he said as I left him standing in the street behind me.

28

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