Page 97 of The Truths We Burn

“What the hell were you thinking,” he growls, shaking her body as she speaks. “You’re nothing but fucking selfish. You almost got her killed.”

Her blue eyes are so washed-out, lips the same color. She probably doesn’t even understand what’s happening right now, still dizzy from the lack of oxygen. And now she has an out-of-control monster in her face.

When Briar wasn’t in her dorm like she’d told Alistair, he went into warfare mode.

After everything that happened last semester with his brother Dorian and Briar being kidnapped, he assumed the worst. Alistair is never afraid, ever, unless it has to do with losing Briar. That’s the only thing he fears in life. Not even death takes precedence over her.

Thankfully Silas put a tracker on her phone for Alistair’s peace of mind, and when he saw where they were, there was nothing stopping him from finding her.

We’d shown up just after Briar took a hockey stick to the back of her legs and a right hook to the mouth. It had been brutal to watch, not only for myself but for my friend. I was planning on grabbing one of the assholes who’d hit her to help him, but I’d gotten distracted.

By a girl with torn wings.

She’d fallen hard, so quickly I wasn’t even sure I’d seen it.

I watched, my fist clenched, waiting for her to resurface, and when she didn’t, I went after her.

She looked so pale when we broke the surface, so broken. Like she’d already given in to death when she’d sunk into the water. And that pissed me off—she’s not allowed to die. Not like that, not without a fight.

I couldn’t watch her die, not at that moment. Because all I saw were false moments.

All I could see was the girl she’d pretended to be when she was with me, underneath me, all around me, and not who she actually was. I gave in to that weakness, to her weakness. I gave in to the temptation of her all over again and stupidly dove in after her.

I’d given in just like I did when I found out she was committed. When I drove haphazardly to Monarch Mental Health Institution and made sure she was there. That she was alive and wasn’t dead.

I was pathetic.

A pitiful excuse for a man, because I couldn’t let go of the lie. Even when she’d shown me her truths, every nasty, ugly truth, I still wanted those lies. All those pretty poisonous lies—I wanted them, and I couldn’t let them die.

And fuck did I hate myself for that.

“I’m sorry. I-I didn’t expect—”

“You didn’t expect what? My girlfriend to get the shit beat out of her while you worried about winning a game?”

“Alistair!” Briar yells, pulling at his leather jacket. “Put her down! It was my fault. I was the one who wanted to go! It was me, it wasn’t Sage.”

His jaw goes solid, the muscle ticking a few times. His dark eyes bore into Sage’s empty blue ones.

“If you ever put her in danger again, I’ll kill you.”

My feet move before my brain can really catch up, and I step closer to them. The threat isn’t a light one—Alistair never says anything he doesn’t mean.

And I don’t like the way it makes me feel right now.

Making me feel something other than respect for my best friend.

Making me feel hostile towards him.

I step to the side of him, placing a hand on his chest. “Chill out. Briar is fine. Focus on your girl.”

He looks at me, tilting his head suspiciously. I hold my ground, pressing into his chest so he gets the message that he needs to let her go.

With one last heated glare at Sage, he releases his grip and immediately turns to Briar, stepping away from the car and scooping her face in his hands. There is still so much anger rolling off him that I can practically see steam coming from his ears, but he softens just a little when he looks at her. Lifting his bloody thumb, he swipes at her swollen bottom lip.

“This is not over, Little Thief.”

She nods, accepting his wrath before wrapping her arm around his waist and sinking into his body. “I’m sorry,” I hear her whisper before her voice fades into something only they can hear.