Page 8 of Fighting the Darkness

I don’t make it far before someone steps in my path. I startle, eyes jerking up as I say, “I’m sorry. I wasn’t looking—“

I break off when my eyes meet a familiar pair of gray eyes. I start to smile when I realize it’s Wilder, but he doesnotlook happy to see me.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” There’s a bite to his words that has my back going up.

Rolling my eyes, my hands immediately go to my hips. “Well, hello to you too, douche.”

“You shouldn’t fucking be here,” he spits out, his hand wrapping around my upper arm. “I’m fighting tonight. I don’t have time to babysit your ass. Go home.”

Anger roars through me as I jerk out of his hold. “First of all, fuck you. Second, I don’t need anyone to babysit me. I’m a grown ass woman who can take care of myself.”

Wilder scoffs, running a hand over his black hair as he shakes his head. “You might think so, but you’ve never been here before. You don’t know what the hell you’re getting yourself into. Just go home so I can focus on my fight.”

When he reaches for me again, I knock his hands away and shove at his chest. Since he outweighs me by a lot, he doesn’t budge.

“I don’t know what the hell has crawled up your ass, but I think you should go get that checked out. I’m here to see what it was about this place that my brother loved so much. You remember him, don’t you? Freyr? My twin who died?” Wilder winces, but I’m too angry to stop now that I’ve started. “Freyr loved to fight, and I wanted to feel close to him. I fucking miss him, and there’s so little of him left. I haven’t been handling his death well.

“Not that you’d know that, being that I haven’t seen you since the funeral, but apparently, you’ve been visiting my mom. I know you werehisbest friend, but I always thought we were friends too—even if we weren’t as close as we’d been as kids. Obviously, that was just another thing I was wrong about. I shouldn’t be surprised. It doesn’t seem like anyone wants to be friends with the girl who can’t get over her twin’s death. According to the bitches who pretended to be my friends, I’m too sad to be friends with now.”

Wilder has the good grace to look abashed, making me feel at least slightly better. At least his anger and annoyance have disappeared.

“And I definitely don’t need a babysitter. I might not have been interested in fighting like Freyr was, but do you really think he’d let his sister be completely helpless? He taught me enough to be able to defend myself—something else you’d know about if you hadn’t been avoiding me like the plague since high school. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.” I’m on a roll now. All of my anger at Wilder from over the years just slipping out. I can’t seem to stop now that I’ve started.

Wilder throws his head back as he laughs, only making my anger flare hotter. Who the hell does he think he is?

“You have no idea what kind of place you’ve just walked into, or the kind of people who frequent it. You’re so far in over your head, Freya, and you don’t even know it.” Wilder shakes his head. “Freyr always talked about bringing you here—even though we knew that your selfish ass would never step foot in someplace like this since it’s so far beneath you—but honestly? I’m glad you never said yes. You don’t belong here, and there’s no way you can handle the shit that goes down here.”

“You don’t know a damn thing about me, Wilder. Leave me the hell alone.”

I shove past him, heading for the bar as I try to wrangle my rage under control. He spends years acting like I don’t exist and never checking on me after Freyr’s death, but the moment I show up here, he wants to act like he cares?

Yeah, fuck that, and fuck him.

I stumble to a stop as another body appears in my path. Glancing up, I’m at least glad it’s not Wilder. “Excuse me.”

“Now, why would I do that?” The man smirks. He’s not unattractive with his dark hair and eyes, but I’m so not in the mood. “What’s a pretty thing like you doing here all by your lonesome?”

“None of your business. I’m not interested. Would you please get the hell out of my way?”

The smile slides off his face, his eyes hardening. “Oh, you think you’re too good for me, bitch? Maybe I need to teach you a lesson in manners.”

“I’m not the one who needs a lesson in manners. I’ll be happy to teachyouthat lesson if you’d like.“ I knock away his hand when he reaches for me. “Women are allowed to say no and that we’re not interested. That doesn’t mean we think you’re beneath us or whatever bullshit story you have going on in that head of yours. It means that I’m not interested in having a conversation or anything more with you. Now, I’d like to get a drink.”

I go to move around him, and he grabs my arm.

Hell. Fucking. No.

My fist balls up as I spin toward this fucker, ready to knock his fucking lights out if I have to—only I don’t get a chance to.

“I’d recommend you take your hands off of her. Now,” Wilder growls as he steps up behind me, his chest flush against my back. I have to fight back a shiver at not just his proximity, but his words and how he says them. Why is it so hot when men get protective?

“Who the fuck do you—“ The man cuts off, his eyes going wide as they land on Wilder. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know she was yours. I wouldn’t have...”

The jackass finally releases my arm and steps back, but Wilder moves around me to step forward until he’s in the guy’s face. “Well, she fucking is, so back the hell off and spread the word.”

The man practically sprints away, and I spin on my heel to glare up at Wilder as he smirks down at me. I stab my finger into his chest. “I’m not yours. I never have been and never will be.”

Even if I want to be, I know it won’t happen, but that’s beside the point. I didn’t need his help. I had this handled.

---