Page 44 of Wicked Salvation

I freeze, a forkful of trout halfway on its way to my mouth. Suddenly, I wish I never brought this up. The goal was to make sure this outing was as uneventful as possible.

Yet, in true Eden Lockhart fashion, I’ve managed to mess things up.

I always mess things up.

“I don’t know why you’re so concerned about the chaos, Eden.” His voice is flat, even. But the way his throat bobs, I know he’s forcing himself to be composed. “The ring on your finger is all the protection you need. Lucian is nothing.”

“He isn’t.” It stings to say, but I know I have to agree. “I’m just a bit scared.”

Silas leans forward.

That’s when I know I shouldn’t have said that. I see the first crack in his composure. Why would I even bring up Lucian? It’s enough that he hates me because of what I did.

But if Silas knew…

“Whyare you scared of him?”

I open my mouth, then close it.

“Usually,” Silas continues, “you trust me to take care of these things. I saved you from the Communion Curse, didn’t I? Are you saying that you doubt my ability to keep you safe?”

“No, I don’t?—”

“Thentell mewhat has you so scared.”

My heart pounds.

How did the conversation spiral this far out of my control? One moment I was celebrating standing up to Silas, and now I’ve talked myself into a corner. I feel like I’m playing Russian Roulette—but there’s a bullet in every chamber.

“I just don’t know what he’s capable of. When he broke the window it scared me.”

Silas takes a sip of wine. “That’s the thing, Eden. It scared you, but you didn’t seem surprised. In fact, you didn’t even tell me about it.” He licks some of the ash-dusted foam from his fork, like after my first time when he licked the blood from my bleeding mouth. “I didn’t plan on speaking to you about it,because I figured he was just going crazy because I have the one thing he seems to desire so much.” Silas’ eyes ghost over my ring. “But now I’m intrigued. You’re scared. Scared enough to bring it up during what wassupposed to bea romantic dinner.”

There’s no air in the room.

I’m drowning.

“As a matter of fact, Eden. Where did you go after I proposed to you?”

That’s when I see it—the fire in his eyes, the anger, thedestructiveness.My whole body turns into a frantic pulse. Silas knows when I’m lying but I can’t tell him the truth.

His jaw tightens.

The crack in his composure turns into a gaping hole.

“I know a lot of things, love. And I trust you.” He stabs his trout. “But what kind of man would I be if I didn’t help my fiancée when she’s scared? So tell me what Lucian did to you.”

There’s no warmth in his voice.

“The glass from the window shattered across my desk, but didn’t hurt me.” That’s the truth, but my voice still trembles. I know how this story is going to end.

Guilt claws at my throat. Anxiety bubbles in my chest and skitters across my skin like faint jolts of electricity. But more than that, dread coils in my stomach.

“Did he touch you?”

My breath catches. “I just said that the glass shattered across my?—”

“That’s not what I asked.”