Page 158 of A Bond so Fierce and Fragile

“I doubt that’s why you came down here.”

She couldn’t stop the blood rushing to her face, especially when Raine glanced at her down his nose.

“You came here so I’d fuck you.” There was no warmth in Raine’s voice.

No lilt of friendship or even respect.

“Little Rantzier can’t get enough of the mind-bender’s fingers, is that it? You came here to use me again. To settle your battle nerves with an orgasm, perhaps?”

“No.” She began shaking her head when Raine continued.

“Don’t lie, it’s unbecoming. Remember that I’ve seen how lonely you are.” He laughed that awful laugh again. “You’re so damn afraid of dying alone that you’ll take any scrap I’ll give you.”

“Stop it,” Frelina snarled. “You’re just feeling guilty and taking it out on me.”

“Don’t pretend like you wouldn’t suck my cock if I whipped it out right now. Anything for a little company, is that it?” Raine began sitting up, and she couldn’t stop herself from meeting his cold eyes. “So fucking sad. I thought your sister was broken… but it’s you who are the broken one, isn’t it?”

“Stop it, Raine,” she repeated. “I know what you’re doing, and it won’t work on me.”

“Don’t say my name like that,” he growled before he began ripping his shirt off.

“I said stop,” Frelina said again, her hands gripping the blanket when Raine’s eyes went crazed.

Gods, he was such an idiot.

She held back a scoff. As ifshewas the broken one.

“Isn’t this what you came for?” Raine was in her face now. “For a quick fuck before we all die tomorrow?”

The harsh lines of his face twisted and blurred as rage sprang into her eyes, and Frelina shot up from the bed when the urge to slap him became almost unbearable.

“Fuck you,” she hissed as she started toward the door, that bottomless depth of loneliness fighting to wrap its sharp clawsaround her heart even though she knew why Raine was doing this. “You’re pushing me away because it’s easier to deal with the guilt than maybe feeling happy for a change. You’re such an idiot.”

She fumbled with the handle. “Fuck,” she swore again, and despite the rage burning hot within her, tears clouded her vision as another rush of cold loneliness feathered across her skin.

As more stupid tears made their way down her cheeks, she kept messing up when she tried to open the door, and angry sobs shook her until she hiccuped loudly, the sound muted only by her fist slamming against the damned door so she could get out.

A hand snaked around her waist as she struggled, and she hiccuped again. “L-leave me alone. I might know why you’re doing this, but that doesn’t mean I need to take it.”

“Frelina. Fuck, Frelina, wait.” Another curse brushed her ear, and she struggled against Raine’s hold.

“Get off me!” she screamed, praying that Lessia and Merrick had returned from wherever they’d sneaked off to and would hear her. “Get the fuck off me!”

But no one came to the door, and Raine didn’t release her.

“Fuck,” he snapped again. “I’m sorry, little Rantzier. I didn’t… I didn’t mean it. I was just… I don’t know. Fuck! Please stop crying. I can’t take it.”

“F-fuck you,” she stuttered, fighting against his grip around her waist, kicking her legs and scratching at his arms. “I am not crying over you! And I said, let me go!”

She didn’t need to ask again.

Frelina almost fell when Raine removed his arm, but she quickly moved away from his steadying hand on her shoulder when she regained her balance.

Raine was panting as much as she was, and she fucking hated him for the tears that streamed down his cheeks as he stared back at her.

“I’m sorry, Frelina.” Raine reached out a hand, which she slapped away. “I… I fucked up.”

“Fuck you.” She hiccuped again, but she’d gotten control over the tears, angrily wiping her sleeves across her face to dry them. “You’re such a bastard, Raine.”