Page 64 of Covenant

“Another. Please,” I murmur, and she thankfully says nothing about my mood shift or my sudden need for more alcohol. Instead, she takes my glass and steps away to do as I asked.

“Seriously, Matthias. Stop being a dick. Tell me what’s wrong? Why are you avoiding me?” I ask when he continues to ignore me. It’s making me itch, making me squirm.

It’s been a fucking long week with him like this.

“Isn’t that what you wanted?” Matthias finally asks, sipping his water, trying to regain his composure, but I see the fissures, the cracks. He’s splitting wide open.

“I mean…” I catch myself with a frown. “Yeah, I guess it was.”

“There you go then.”

I glower at him. “That’s all you have to say?”

He doesn’t respond and doesn’t turn my way the entire trip. I end up sleeping for some of it, tossing and turning in my seat, trying to push Matthias from my mind, but it’s hard.

Fuck him for coming into my life and then stepping right back out, like he couldn’t be bothered with me. Just like he did all those years ago. He consumed me before leaving me hollow and broken.

Infuriating is what he is. Unfeeling and unkind.

I’m kicking myself for letting him back in a little, only for him to do it all over again.

When the plane finally lands on the island, my mood has completely plummeted. I’m angry, frustrated, and more than a little hopeless. Not to mention, I’m tired and slightly nauseous from the turbulence. But as soon as I step from the plane, the warm sun greets me and I feel myself perking back up.

“Fuck yes,” I murmur, enjoying how the rays feel on my exposed skin.

“Told you you’d like the sun,” he says as he passes me by and then without another word, makes his way toward the car waiting for us, leaving me to trail after him like some kind of pet. I hate it.

But this is what I wanted, right? I wanted him to pretend I didn’t exist. And he is.

Not sleeping in our bed, not meeting my gaze, not speaking to me. I’m a fucking ghost of his past.

Just like I wanted.

Why can’t I accept that?

I pout as the car door closes behind us and the driver makes his way toward our final destination. The entire drive is marked with silence, the only sound coming from the vents above us, blowing cool air onto my face. It is warm here, my body growing overheated.

With a yank, I pull my sweater off and toss it aside, catching Matthias’s gaze. It flicks toward me before moving back to the window. But I see the flush on his cheeks, the way he inhales shakily.

Something moves through me.

That delicious little thrill I get when I make him cave.

For some reason, the competitive streak inside of me makes me want to get him tolookat me.

Don’t be silly.Look at me, Matt.

I want his attention, damnit. I shouldn’t, but I do.

The car pulls up a long driveway, palm trees and banana plants line the drive, and a minute later, we arrive at a large house sitting right on the edge of the beach.

“We’re here,” Matthias says unnecessarily as the car rolls to a stop.

I don’t wait for the driver to open the door for us. I just step out and inhale the salty breeze. Fuck, this is nice. I can’t believe I argued against this, that I didn’t want to go on a honeymoon to a tropical island.

This is so fucking nice. When was the last time I was able to just relax?

It’s been ages. So damn long.

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