Darkness (II)

CHAPTER TWELVE

"You were going to leave without saying goodbye?" she asked, voice muffled by my hair.

My eyes watered and I clung to her, feeling a sudden and overwhelming sense of loss. "I'm not very good at goodbyes, Ley."

She pulled away and smiled. I gaped as I noticed the tears shining in her blue eyes. "You won't be very good at breathing if you try something like that again, Isa Brown."

"Goodbye, Leila." I whispered, my throat constricting. We'd been through so much together and now we had to part, forced our separate ways by fate.

"Goodbye, Isa." she replied, taking my hand and squeezing it lightly.

Before I could say anything else she pushed me away, shaking her head in amusement. "Go and make Russia your bitch!"

I grinned, albeit rather weakly, and did as she commanded.

Alex stood by the more impressive SUV, which had tinted black windows and a sleek, shiny exterior. He opened his arms at the sight of me and ran forwards, grinning like an excited child. I held a hand up but my objection went unheard; as soon as he was within touching distance he gathered me in his arms and whirled me around.

"I'll miss you, Isa," he said as he finally set me back down, "even if you are a terrifying."

I smiled up at him, my eyes shining with emotion. He took my hands in his, kissing my knuckles softly in a rare show of chivalry, and led me towards the grander of the two cars.

"I suppose this is goodbye, Alex." I murmured, bowing my head in respect. "It's been...fun."

He said his goodbyes, smiling more gently than he usually would, and left me wavering uncertainly outside the SUV. I was hoping that Phoenix had thrust me with Thea and Damien but I doubted he'd give them the nicest car; he was an Alpha, after all, and had a reputation to maintain. Anxiety knotted in my stomach and I stared at the car door, my eyes fixed upon the way the sun-rays fractured off of the inky black, casting both shadows and facets of light all at once—

And then it abruptly swung open.

I stumbled backwards, a shriek catching in my throat. Phoenix emerged through the gap, his legs unfolding gracefully, his torso rippling with muscle and raw power. That body was hovering above me last night, his arms caged around my head—

I flushed wildly and looked elsewhere, my entire being burning with shame. He'd turned away, that night, with eyes that burned with regret. He'd done the same when we were training and left me trembling in the middle of a field.

"Isa..." he murmured, his voice probing me, gently trying to draw me out of my shame-induced shell.

Anger surged in the wake of my humiliation, fanned by the whisper of my name upon his lips. How dare he act like I was in the wrong? He was the one who backed away...he was the one who left me with only my thoughts for company. My hands curled into fists and I glared at him.

"Don't talk to me." I said hotly, pushing at his chest. He stumbled backwards in surprise, his brows shooting upwards. "Do you realise how much you've embarrassed me? I let you in and you backed away like I'd burned you."

He sighed and rubbed his jaw. "You wouldn't understand, Isa. I have...I have a—"

"Are you two coming or not?"

Lexus shoved his head out of the open door, though his grin faltered when he saw the angry look on my face. He muttered something to Vilkov and slowly moved back into the car, his eyes flitting frantically between Phoenix and I as he went.