A LAND OF FIRE AND DARKNESS

Chapter 38

I muttered a curse under my breath for still being unable to put up my firewall. He had heard the thoughts and now I was stuck in a bath unable to avoid his questions.

"She is beautiful." I started with a strong voice as I tried to answer him.

"She is." He nodded slowly, "That does not answer my question though." He narrowed his crystal eyes at me.

I clenched my jaw. "She is your first love."

His face tensed slightly. He traced his thumb against his eyebrow and sighed out, "Yes, she was." He began. "I have loved before, Alinta." He dropped his hand.

I know that. I knew that. It annoyed me that he thought I did not understand that.

"Why do you think I want to be with Rosay?" He asked again as his face remained placid.

I tightened my lips, "She is kind, beautiful and I saw how you looked at her." I sighed out as I gulped down all my insecurities.

He stared at me for several seconds with a placid expression before blankly saying, "Have you seen the way I look at you?"

My heart twisted but I pushed it away, "That is different." I snapped with annoyance. "You have no choice with that. Fate is just forcing you to look at me like that."

He pushed off the door and strode towards me and I became very aware that I was naked in the bath.

"Fate wants us to mate." He stated bluntly, "Not love each other." He crouched down next to the bath, next to me. I met his eyes and felt exposed. "And trust me Alinta, I do not want to just mate with you."

I took in a heavy breath.

"My parents were intwined." He began as he tilted his head to the side, "But I do not believe they ever loved each other."

"Fate ensured they met, ensured they mated, and ensured they had me." He added with a stern tone. "Fate can push us in the right direction, but it does not control how we feel."

I looked down at the bubbles that covered my body as I listened to his words. I could not remember if Lewis and my mother were close. I had never seen them alone together. But their relationship had been a secret.

"If you do not love me." He began causing my eyes to snap at his, "That is perfectly okay." He finished with a soft voice. "But do not think the way I feel about you is only based on us being Intwined."

I took in a shaky breath as I stared into his crystal-clear eyes. My heart reacted as I gazed at him, the way it reacted most days I stared at him.

The water was growing cold and I knew the bubbles would begin to dissipate soon.

He stood up slowly and walked towards a shelf where towels were. He pulled one out as his face became placid again. He looked at the white soft fabric, "I do not want to be with Rosay." His voice was firm as he slowly turned towards me again.

He walked towards me and opened the towel out for me to step into. I slowly stood up while his eyes remained only on my eyes. I stepped into the towel and he wrapped the fabric around me while his eyes continued to trace mine.

His hands rested on the dent of my back while I continued to adjust the towel. His grip on me was soft as his eyes and soon his thumbs began to trace circles over the fabric.

I looked at his chest and heard the rapid pace of his heartbeat and smiled. Something about knowing it was not just me being affected by his touch was reassuring.

He slowly released me though and stepped back as his hand slipped into his pockets, "You always affect me." He stated with a shrug.

I tightened the towel and stared up at him. He always affected me.