••{RHIANNON'S POV}••
"What do you want from me?"
The question echoes in my head long after he said it, circling, sinking deeper with every beat of my heart.
I open my mouth, but nothing comes out at first. My chest feels too tight. My thoughts feel too loud.
"I want nothing from you," I finally manage.
But the lie tastes bitter on my tongue.
Azrael tilts his head slightly, studying me the way he always does, like he's already peeling back every layer I try to keep intact.
"Then why did you react the way you did?" he asks quietly.
I swallow.
"Why did you storm into her chambers," he continues, "why did you put your hands on her, if you want nothing from me?"
He lifts a hand and cups my face, his palm warm against my cheek. My breath catches before I can stop it. His thumb brushes slowly across my lower lip, the contact enough to make my skin burn where he touches me.
His voice drops, barely more than a whisper. "Tell me the truth."
My pulse pounds in my ears.
