Page 162 of I Was Always Yours (RCA: Royal Crown Academy)

“She came by yesterday and gave me this envelope.” She says, handing it to me.

My fingers close around it and I take it into my possession. Whatever’s inside the envelope has got some weight to it.

“Did she say anything when she gave this to you? Did she look okay?”

She shifts her feet anxiously and fidgets with the bottom half of her apron, and it’s obvious she knows more than she’s letting on. The envelope is securely sealed so she hasn’t opened it, but something tells me she knows what’s inside without having needed to.

“She looked fine. Healthy, I mean.” She says, not meeting my gaze. “And she said, “give it to him, he’ll know what it means”.”

I tip my chin at her in thanks and dismiss her. When she’s gone, I rip the top of the envelope open and turn it over, shaking out whatever’s in there.

When the object falls into my open palm, my mood darkens so abruptly and completely I feel like nature reacts in tandem with me. The skies blacken and turn thunderous, suffocating the warmth of the sun. Wind and lightning clap in the distance, emphasizing the fury that rolls through me.

Because clenched between my fingers, the rubies brightly reflecting the bloodlust in my eyes, is Six’s engagement ring.

Chapter 47

Sixtine

After discovering Phoenix’s betrayal, I held it together just long enough for him to leave my apartment. Only then did I break down. Once the tears came, they didn’t stop for three days. Try as I might to keep them in, they fell freely down my cheeks every time my thoughts turned to Phoenix.

And my thoughts turned to him a lot. He was on my mind constantly, aided in part by the many messages he sent me, his texts getting more and more agitated with each one I left unanswered until I couldn’t take it anymore.

Tired of seeing me in pieces and not being able to do anything to help, Bellamy finally took my phone and blocked him. Then the three of them took me out for a sushi dinner where we had a little too much sake.

Or at least some of us did. Nera stumbles as we walk into the apartment, her foot catching on the welcome mat.

“Careful,” I say, catching her by the elbow before she goes sprawling to the floor.

“Thanks, babe, you’re the best.” She says, landing a wet kiss on my cheek as she drunkenly wraps her arms around my neck.

She’s half a head taller than I am, so the move is a little awkward and has me stumbling back against the wall. I can’t help but giggle at the sight we must be with me struggling to hold her up.

“Did you justlaugh?” Thayer asks, her mouth gaping comically. She flips on the light, bathing the area in brightness as we settle in the kitchen.

“I heard it too. Can you do it again just so we make sure we didn’t both hallucinate at the same time?” Bellamy asks, pulling Nera off of me and helping her into a seat.

I give them a small smile as I pour myself a glass of water and drink. Thayer rounds the island and comes over to me, embracing me in a hug.

“You’re going to be okay, you know that right?” She says when she pulls away.

“Yeah.”

“What did I tell you about wearing your ring?” A chilling voice calls out from the darkness.

The four of us shriek in unison and whip around in time to see Phoenix step out from the shadows that envelope him and into the lit area of the kitchen.

His sudden presence collides with all my recent and shoddily built defenses, shattering them with just one question. Nerves crawl up my throat, pain wraps agonizingly around my heart and squeezes, and hurt leadens my tongue, robbing me of my voice.

I have no idea what he’s doing here. I’m supposed to have half a week left to pull myself together while he’s in Korea. He shouldn’t behere.

I’m not ready to face him. I can’t do this.

“You’re not supposed to be back until Sunday.” I say, the only words I can form as I fight through the emotions that assault me.

He takes a step towards me, his body thrumming with what I now recognize as barely restrained violence. His eyes are black and his mouth is a violent slash across his face.

“You didn’t give me much of a choice when you blocked me.” His smile is sharp and dangerous with zero traces of humor when he turns it towards me. “Claire gave me your little present. I didn’t know you were in the mood to play dangerous games, wild girl.”

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