Page 83 of Shattered Stars

“You’re being stubborn about this,” he says in that infuriatingly bored voice.

I spin around, ready to give him both freaking barrels. But suddenly the hallway is bustling with students – most, I’m sure, have deliberately followed us out here – eyeing us eagerly like we’re about to start sparring. I don’t want to fuel the gossip train more than I already have this week.

I step towards the nearest empty classroom and motion for Tristan to follow me. Once inside, he shuts and locks the door, blocking the doorway with his huge frame, and I decide this is another one of my stupid ideas. I glare at him, thrusting my finger in his direction.

“I’m being stubborn!” I hiss at him. “Tristan Kennedy, just be thankful I’m not being something a whole lot worse because frankly you fucking well deserve it!”

That mask of nonchalance flickers and I see a brief glimpse of anger in his eyes. It lasts just a fleeting moment and then he’s smiling at me lazily.

“Why? Why do I deserve it?”

“For the way you’ve treated me.”

“And how have I treated you? No differently to every other girl in this academy.”

“Bullshit!”

“You’re angry because I didn’t welcome you with open arms. Because I didn’t drop at your feet and kiss your toes. Because I didn’t confess undying love for you from the moment I firstlaid eyes on you.” He snorts. “Let me tell you something, Blackwaters, you’ve read too many girlie kissing books. It isn’t how things work in real life.”

“No, it’s not because of that,” I say. “It’s because you treated me like crap.”

“Did you treat me any better?”

“Did you give me a chance?”

He leans back against the door, folding his arms across his chest. “Just because my cousin–”

“This has nothing to do with him.”

He shakes the hair that’s fallen into his face and looks at me. “Did you think that there was any way that I’d be pleased about this, Piggie? Did you think I’d be happy that my fated mate is a nobody, a no one.” He chuckles. “A fuckingunregistered. You saw how my family reacted with Azlan. Well, he was already a lost cause. He’s not the Kennedy heir. The one they’re all pinning their fucking hopes on. You know how fucking angry they’re going to be about this?”

Maybe those words hurt me weeks ago. Maybe they made my heart ache. But I’ve heard them so often from everyone around me, they hardly penetrate at all anymore. Hardly.

“If that is the case, then what the hell is this week all about, Tristan? Why the hell are you asking me to the ball? Nothing’s changed. I’m still me. Still an unregistered girl from the wastelands. Still a nobody. Your family hasn’t had some epiphany and forgiven all my sins. They’re still going to disown you if you … if you …”

“Seal the bond,” he says so lowly it makes my knees tremble.

His eyes brighten and the bond in my stomach shimmers at the idea of it.

I dig my nails deep into the palms of my hands until I’m wincing with the pain and force the idea away. Every word I just said is true.

He straightens up and takes a step towards me, ducking his head so our eyes are level.

“Piglet,” he says, with something that almost sounds like affection, “I’m not saying it makes any sense. What I’m saying is that the way I feel about you has changed. I don’t care about all those things now. My family, this school, the whole fucking country. I don’t care what they think. I want you. I want to make you mine.”

I shake my head. I’m so damned confused. His words are tying me up in knots. He must be lying to me. There’s no way what he’s saying can be true. Actions speak louder than words and his actions tell me everything I need to know.

Damn the bond. Damn the way he makes my legs tremble and my pulse flutter.

Spencer. Barone. Tristan. The things they’ve done. The way they’ve treated me. I shouldn’t want them anywhere near me.

“It’s too late, Tristan–”

“It isn’t–”

I hold up my hand. “It is. I deserve better than you. Better than someone who couldn’t look past the end of his own privileged nose and see me for who I really am and not what he thought I was. So just leave me alone, okay?”

He straightens up, his jaw hardening.