Page 66 of Rain of Shadows and Endings

“I understand,” she’d said quietly, moving to fill the teakettle with water.

But when her tea was done, he’d taken her out to the balcony himself and sat opposite her. Eventually, he’d gotten up to get his own drink and had left her to her thoughts. It wasn’t as if she was speaking to him anyway. He had stayed where he could see her the entire time. He knew she wasn’t happy, but she did seem…more settled after being out of their rooms for a while.

Now, however, he would need to interrupt her thoughts because she needed to get ready for dinner. He’d already laid out a black, flared cocktail dress with small hollow cut outs at the waist. She would look stunning in it like she did in everything else, but his mind kept conjuring the image of her in his shirt this morning. He found he much preferred that look on her— the messy hair, just woke up and hadn’t had her coffee yet, simple and relaxed look. And yeah, her in his shirt, covered in his scent after sleeping beside him all night didn’t hurt either.

Theon knocked back the last of his drink, setting the glass aside before walking back out to the balcony. He came to a stop beside her, reaching out and running his fingers along her hair and down her jaw. The bond tingled with satisfaction, sending a rush of desire through him. He’d promised her he wouldn’t force anything on her physically—and he wouldn’t—but fuck. He wanted to kiss her when she turned her head to look up at him expectantly, waiting for his next order.

True to his demands, she hadn’t pulled away from his touch all day, and it had been pure bliss for the Source bond. He craved the day she didn’t pull away because she didn’t want to pull away almost as much as he was craving a taste of her lips right now.

He swallowed down his desire, and when he spoke, his voice was raspy and heated, “We need to get ready for dinner.”

Tessa nodded once, then stilled again. Waiting, he realized. She was waiting for him to remove his hand so she wouldn’t be pulling away from him.

He sighed, taking a seat beside her on the sofa. He took the mug from her hands, setting it on the table. “Tessa, can we talk?”

Her gaze met his, and he wanted to curse the gods at the lack of any type of storm in her grey eyes. “I don’t get such choices anymore,” she replied quietly.

Theon blinked. Those were the most words she’d said at once to him since this morning. Quickly shoving his surprise aside, he said, “I don’t want it to be like this. Not here. In our own space.”

Her lips thinned, and she broke his stare, fingers fiddling with her blanket. “Perhaps you can let me know how I need to adjust my behavior in your rooms tomorrow, but I really don’t know that I can handle any additional expectations today.”

“Tessa—”

“I need to get ready,” she said, pulling the blanket from her lap and draping it over her arm. She stood and picked up the book and mug, carrying everything back into the bedroom with her.

Theon leaned back on the sofa, scrubbing his hands down his face.

Tomorrow.

He’d try again tomorrow. Tonight, he just needed to get through this dinner, and hope she could hold it together in front of his father. He wasn’t sure he could stay his hand a second time.

* * *

An hour later, they were on their way down to the dining room with Axel and Luka. Tessa had pulled her hair up in a classic knot at her nape, leaving strands of honey-gold hair around her face. His hand was on the small of her back, and his fingers grazed the slivers of bare skin along the hollowed out slits on the dress.

As they approached the doors, she slowed and fell into step behind him, just as he’d seen Eviana do hundreds of times. He stopped, turning to face her, but before he could say anything, Tessa spoke first.

“I know what is expected of me.”

“Tessa—”

“Your father is waiting,” she interrupted, her eyes fixed on the floor.

“She’s right,” Luka said from behind them, and Theon clenched his jaw.

Turning, he nodded to the staff to open the dining room doors and entered to greet his parents.

The dinner was as all family dinners were. The air was filled with tension, and the conversation was dull. Tessa ate everything placed in front of her without fuss, sitting perfectly still. There was no fidgeting as there had been a few nights ago. No grumbling under her breath. He didn’t miss his father’s quick glances at her…or his lingering stares.

As dessert was being served, his father leaned back in his chair. “I must say, Theon, your Source is unexpectedly behaved this evening. I did not expect her to be broken so easily. Your discipline must have been highly effective.”

“She is not broken,” Theon replied tightly, meeting his father’s gaze. “It has simply been a long day of adjustments.”

“Call it what you want,” Valter shrugged, taking a sip of his drink. “You seem to mistake me for condemning you. I’m impressed, Theon. I didn’t think you had it in you to instill such submission.”

Theon’s fingers tightened around his drink, his knuckles turning white. Axel was giving him a knowing look across the table that seemed to scream, ‘I told you that you sounded like him.’ Luka was sipping his own drink, his sapphire eyes on Tessa, whose attention was firmly fixed on her crème caramel.

“Seeing you take such control of your Source eases some of my worries about our plans while you are away at the Acropolis,” his father continued.

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