Page 109 of Whispers of Wisteria

I could never talk to her again.

“Don’t worry, she still thinks you’re an idiot,” Bryce offered, leaning against the wall. “It doesn’t help that you’re trying to push your fetish onto her. You knowshe won’t be into it the way you imagine.”

“I don’t want her to think I’m an idiot either!” I snapped. What did he know? She likedbeing taken care of.

Bryce shrugged. “I’m not sure why you think she wouldn’t.” His tone was almost accusing. “You’re trying too hard. Like the first time I saw the two of you together—when you cameslamming into my office, raving like a lunatic. What the hell did you think I was going to do? You know me.”

Anger licked at my senses, and I glared at him. “I don’t trust you.”

You’ve surprised me before. The unspoken accusation hung in the air, and his glower moved from me as he pulled at his collar.

Good, he should feel guilty.

I never thought he’d abandon our bond.

“It’s not my place,” he said suddenly. “We can be friends, but I can’t be what you want. That was why it ended in the first place.”

“What?” But then the meaning behind his statement registered. “Are you talking about why you left me?”

“What are you, my ex?” Bryce rolled his eyes. “You make it sound as though we broke up.”

“Wedidbreak up, you asshole.” I pointed at him. My chest swelled with a reignited fury. “I risked everything to helpyou, and you left me high and dry. I almostdied.”

“Yes.” Bryce’s eyes flashed, and he pushed from the wall, pacing. “I know.”

“You betrayedmytrust,” I reminded him.

“I know,” Bryce repeated, still pacing. “But I had no choice. It was the only thing I coulddo.”

My laugh sounded loud through the space. I cut him off and pushed my finger to his chest. “I’d loveto hear what convoluted reasoning you’ve thought up to justify that.”

“You have no business dying for an Officer.” Bryce scowled. “What would Bianca have done if something happened to you?”

I stared at him in stunned silence, the wheels in my head coming to a temporary halt before I finally could manage, “Are you stupid?”

I had to ask, but I already knew he was.

I pulled back from him and stalked across the room. “Fucking fae.” I punched the brick—the same hand I’d hit Bianca with—and the wall shuddered under its force.

Idiot fae and their idiotic sense of nobility and self-sacrificing natures.

I didn’t realize I’d continued hitting the wall until Bryce’s hand closed over my shoulder.

“Enough,” he said, grip tightening as he tried to pull me back. “You’re bleeding.”

So I was. I stared at the broken skin across my knuckles. My chest ached, and a prickling started low in my throat.

We still had unfinished business.

We’d been best friends. We knew everything about each other. And he’dlied.

He might not have known where she was or what was happening, but he’d been proactive enough to realize I’d become too dependent on him.

When I could finally speak past the lump in my throat, I asked, “Why didn’t you tell me about her?”

Bryce’s sharp inhale sounded loud in my ears, and his touch vanished. I turned before he could run, twisting the front of his shirt in my fist.

“Were you making fun of me the whole time?” I shook him, but he hardly moved. Instead, his glower deepened.