Touch

Chapter 22| Reckoning

I was in a daze, somewhere between serene satisfaction and anger. I couldn't do much except replay the last few hours in my head. I had finally escaped, only to wind right back up Shadowfang mere hours later.

Was I ever going to get away from this world?

Malachai was speaking to me as I sat on the couch in his office, nearly catatonic and it was like his words entered one ear and went out the other, nothing registered. What the fuck have I gotten myself into?

"Amina!" Malachai screamed as he cupped my face, the contact instantly freeing me from the trance I was in.

"You okay?"

"Y-yeah, I just-"

"We need to talk, are you up for it?"

"Will you let me respond or do you intend on cutting me off?

He waved his hand signaling for me to continue.

Thank you. Now, what would you like to discuss ?"

"Discuss?" He scoffed, "That stunt you pulled, what the fuck was that?  I've never seen anything more foolish, more irresponsible, more selfish," he said as he paced back and forth before the hearth.

"That stunt? You speak as though I was trying to get your attention, Malachai I was trying to get away from you, and I would have if it weren't for Mich-"

His hand shot up to silence me, "Do not..say his name," he growled. He took a deep breath before he continued, "Don't you get it? This was over from the moment you walked into Ascend."

"What are you talking about?"

"You walk into Cirni's nightclub,  a club full of paranormals, dressed the way you were, smelling the way you do, and you think no one took notice?"

"Are you saying this was my fault?"

"No, I'm saying there were eyes on you. More than just me and...him," he said bitterly,  as he walked over to the minibar and poured himself some whiskey.

"The only reason no one else made a move that night was because you were with him, and then you left with me. Cirini wanted you then, and even more now to fuck with me!" he screamed as he beat his chest.

"You say it's not my fault and yet you speak to me as if it is. I'm sorry that my scent arouses your kind but it's not like I knew."

"It's not about that!"

"Then what is it about?"

"I told you the type of person Cirini was, I was honest with you about him from the beginning!"

"Honest? Let me remind you that this could have been avoided if you were more forthcoming. You sold me a story of half-truths and omissions, and when it blew up in your face, you left me for three days, not a word, nothing!"

"Yeah, I left for three days so I could figure some shit out, and like a petulant child, you threw a tantrum, stole my fucking Maserati, and ran away! And of all the places you could go to, you went home."

He bit his fist, trying to control his anger, "If you were safe there, I wouldn't have brought you back to Shadowfang with me, at least not so soon. Did you think about that? No! You were too concerned with trying to prove a point."

Realizing what Malachai thought of me made me livid. I was a grown ass woman, I could do whatever the fuck I wanted, and here he was talking down to me as if the sun rises and sets on his ass.

"You arrogant piece of shit," I said as I shook my head, disappointment and shock settling in in equal measure, "Did you ever think for one moment about how I've felt in this entire situation? In case you have forgotten, I know nothing about your world. You left to figure some shit out, but how would you feel having just discovered that this whole world exists and that you're mated with one of the most powerful people in it?"