Mirror of Embers (Book 1)

f o u r t e e n

"My eyes are up here, Kam." I hiss, he looks up to my face and rubs his now hurt shin. Good. He deserved it. Feel my wrath Kam.

"Indeed they are," he says gazing into my eyes. It makes me uncomfortable. He can't look at me like that anymore. He broke up with me. And, I'm with Royal now. Kam can't look at me with that look in his eyes, ever. "I'm glad you still haven't lost your . . . spirit."

I mock a bow. My eyes narrow to slits as I stare at him. "Get on with it Kam, where's Eden."

He sighs, "Would you like a drink first?"

I consider it. A drink would help this awful conversation. But, I can't. I need to be in my right state of mind right now. "I'm good, I'd rather remember gutting you." I say sweetly, flashing him a saccharine smile. He smiles back at me. "I've missed you," he says. Missed me? Pardon me? He was the one who ended things. Ugh, what an ass. I'm taken aback a bit. Two people have told me they've missed me today. Wow. Weird.

I roll my eyes and lean my forearms on the table, while leaning my body forward on the table. "Where's Eden?" I repeat.

Kam leans forward as well, "She's safe, I am personally seeing to it that she is." He replies.

"What the fuck does that mean?"

"It means," he runs an agitated hand through his hair, "that I'm taking care of her."

I scoff, "And, what? That's supposed to make me feel so much better?"

"I need you to trust me." He says.

I laugh. Trust him? I trusted him before, and that got me nowhere. Why the fuck am I supposed to take his word on this? I ask him just that.

"Because, I'm trying to help."

"Right, so, I'll just sit back and let you deal with her. You can bring her back to Marelli for me then." I say, sarcasm dripping off my tongue. He clearly doesn't hear it or get it because he replies: "You should. You shouldn't work too hard." Something inside of me snaps. I'm so angry.

    "You don't get to do this." I say.

    He raises a delicate brow, "Do what?"

    I gesture to between us. "You don't get to act like you care about me, or my well being. You don't get to care, Kam."

    His eyes soften, "But, I do. I do care, Ember. Always have, always will."

    I stare at him, looking into his golden eyes, the eyes I had grown to love. I can tell he's being truthful. But it isn't fair. None of this is fair. He can't do this to me. Trick my feelings like this.

    Suddenly done with this conversation, I change the subject. "Why are you here, Kam?"

    "I'm here for you." His eyes burn into my skull.

    "No, you can't do this Kam, you can't. It isn't fair-"

    He cuts me off, and blurts out the most absurd thing. "You're my mate."

    I stare at him. That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. His mate. It's laughable. Actually, I'm laughing right now. I'm wheezing. Kam stares at me with a look of horror on his face.

    Tears stream down my face, I wipe them away and continue chuckling. "You can't be serious."

    His jaw clenches, "Deadly."

    I stop laughing, his face is stern. "Pardon me?"

    "You're my mate."

    "No I'm not."