Page 16 of Vengeance Becomes Her

They sat there for a while in silence, but it seemed he could only hold his tongue for so long. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Tristain playing with the ties that hung loosely at the opening of his shirt, fidgeting as he lost the last of his patience.

“I know you’re trying to heal yourself, but I don’t understand why you wouldn’t be eager to help prevent this from happening again.”

Rhiannon sat up so quickly it made her dizzy. Despite her temporary disorientation, her frustration had her launchinginto an attack.

“You have no idea what I’m feeling or what I’ve been through. If I believed you were truly going to help these women and I could trust you, maybe I would. But I don’t see how anyone related tohimcould be any better.”

Tristain grimaced at the insinuation. “I assure you, I’m nothing like my brother. On that at least, you should trust me.” The muscle in his jaw twitched.

“We’ll see.” Discussion of Silas had set her on edge, she needed to escape his presence immediately. Rhiannon stood abruptly, urging him to get off her blanket as she pulled against his weight. He stood without a word, but his nearly obsidian eyes watched her closely as she gathered her belongings off the ground and silently turned on her heel.

He called after her, seemingly unbothered by her abandoning him mid-conversation. “I appreciate your suspicion. It means you’re as smart as I suspected.”

She could imagine the rueful smile that was surely present as he shouted after her retreating figure. He seemed so sure that she would help him. He was right, but she didn’t like how well he understood her already. It was completely unnerving.

As she hastily retreated, Rhiannon allowed her head to turn just slightly to take one last look at him, but she refused respond. She didn’t trust him, but she couldn’t help but feel some admiration for his spirit. He wouldn’t be so easily deterred from his mission, maybe he was committed to helping these women after all. Only time would tell. For now, she would keep him at a distance and make him earn her trust, if that was even possible.

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