Page 163 of I Was Always Yours (RCA: Royal Crown Academy)

The words land like a challenge between us and the air charges.

“We’re going to go,” Bellamy says, ushering the other two towards her room. “Give you guys a chance to talk and finish this.”

His eye twitches when she says “finish”. His jaw tightens as he keeps his darkly intense gaze on me.

“I’m not going to pretend we’re not going to have our ears pressed up to the door, though.” Thayer says.

“Just in case you’re thinking of doing anything foolish, Phoenix.” Nera adds, somehow sobering up enough to throw him a venomous glare.

He doesn’t even cut them a look, his glacial eyes remaining locked on me as they go into Bellamy’s room and close the door.

We stand ten feet apart, staring at each other in a silent game of wills. My chest heaves as I struggle to rake in deep, but controlled breaths.

Finally, I speak. “You can’t just break in whenever you feel like it.” Call it a subconscious slip or maybe just thinking that I had more time before he came home, but I hadn’t locked my window yet.

His mouth flattens. “You didn’t mind before.”

“I mind now.” I reply emotionlessly. My answer has changed since the last time we had this conversation. “Get out.”

“No.” He snaps back, taking another step towards me. “Why aren’t you wearing your ring?”

His voice is barely above a whisper, but so menacing that goosebumps raise across my skin and a shiver races down my spine.

“Just go, Phoenix.”

“Answer the question. Better yet, tell me why it’s in my possession. Tell me why you would ever give it back to me.” He grinds out through clenched teeth, his jaw working angrily.

He just wants to jump right into it, my own readiness for this conversation be damned. Being in the same room as him, standing in front of him as he watches me with those eyes, it destroys me.

The coward in me wishes he’d just let me ghost him. He was going to break this off anyway, so why can’t he just go quietly into the night like he’d planned without this confrontation.

“It’s not my ring any longer.”

Another step towards me. The only thing that separates us now is the kitchen island. He grips it so hard, his knuckles turn shades of red and white.

“What the fuck does that mean?” I can see that he’s struggling to keep his temper under control, holding the counter so he can hold himself back.

“I’m not marrying you anymore. It’s over. I called it off. Both of our fathers know and my dad is going to provide yours with a list of other potential brides to replace me, which I’m sure you’ll be overjoyed about. Kindly see yourself out now.” I say dismissively, hiding the way my voice shakes tremulously and turning to face the counter where I pour myself another glass of water.

I hear angry steps round the kitchen island, I’m assuming towards the door, but then his hands are on my arms and he’s roughly turning me back around towards him, his face so dark with fury he’s almost unrecognizable.

“Have you lost your fucking mind? I leave for three days and you think you can break this engagement off?” He scowls. “You think I’m just going to let you go?”

“It’s not up to you. You don’t decide for me.”

He laughs humorlessly. “I don’t care what you want. You were promised to me and you’re going to marry me.”

“Not anymore.” Anger makes my tongue sharp. “I’m engaged to someone else.”

I don’t know why I lie. It slips so easily from my lips that it surprises me. But when he steps back like I just slapped him, his face stunned and hurt flashing in his eyes, it fuels a mean part of me that wants to hurt him as much as he hurt me.

“It took my dad very little convincing. Turns out he’s not your biggest fan.”

His gaze drops to my left hand where he takes in my bare ring finger with burning eyes. He looks back up at me.

“Why are you doing this?”

It’s my turn to laugh unhappily. “I’m not doing anything, I’m simply giving you exactly what you wanted. What is it that you said to my dad all those months ago? “Have one of them marry her instead?” Well, you’re getting your wish, Phoenix. That’s my final gift to you.”

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