Strokes_A Dark Contemporary Reverse Harem Romance by Bea Paige

Author:Bea Paige [Paige, Bea]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-02-06T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

Rose

Ivan leaves with a swift goodbye. He doesn’t try to smother me with his newly revealed feelings. In fact, since what happened in his room this morning, he’s been quiet, reflective. For the past hour I’ve kept my distance from him, both of us needing time to lick our wounds.

Ivan’s will mark him for days, maybe longer.

Mine, mine have joined all the others within the aching chasm of my chest to be absorbed by the darkness that thrives there, feeding the demon who possesses me.

Ivan loves me…

In another life it might have brought joy, but the knowledge of his love has had the opposite effect.

Why did he have to cross that line? Why?

Sighing, I run a hand through my hair and watch Ivan as he places the last of his bags in the boot of the car. The car idles, Patrick waiting in the driver’s seat. He gives me a sideways glance and a curt nod acknowledging me. I can’t even smile at Patrick in return.

Inexplicably, my heart feels heavy. Blue.

Not an expansive blue like the sky on a summer’s day, but the deep bottomless blue of the ocean before a storm churns it even darker.

Ivan stands before me, he’s more guarded. Not in the same way he was when we first met, not at all. This time, rather than seeming predatory, he has the look of an animal wary of a new foe; respectful, uncertain, biding its time.

“I’ll call when I arrive in Moscow,” Ivan says, breaking the heavy silence between us.

He swipes his hair off his face only for it to fall promptly back into his eyes once more. Something about that simple gesture and the way he’s trying to dampen his true feelings from me has me feeling both angry and regretful at the same time. Back in his room, he had stared into the depths of my soul with those beautiful blue-grey eyes and come up empty, leaving him cast adrift in the aftermath of my wrath. He’s still struggling to stay afloat now. I see that, and it hurts to see the damage I’ve caused.

“I’d appreciate that. I’m sure Anton and Erik will want to know you’ve arrived safely,” I respond, trying and failing to maintain some normality when everything about this conversation is stilted and awkward.

Ivan nods sharply, crossing his arms against his chest. I see the faintest whisper of pain, but he covers it quickly.

I hurt him. Anton had been right to stop me.

“Have you taken something?” I murmur, not quite able to look him in the eye.

He shakes his head. “Why would I do that?”

“Because you’re hurting…” Because I hurt you. Without thinking about it, I lift my hand to his chest, laying my palm flat against him. He winces again, drawing in a sharp breath. I want to say I’m sorry, that Anton was right. I wasn’t thinking of him in my anger, I was thinking of another man who hurt me. I went too far.

Ivan presses his mouth shut in a hard line and stares at me.

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