Refugee (The Captive #3)(61)

“And that makes it better!?” he barked.

Her hands twisted on the bow. He became aware of the fact that she might also like to take a shot at him. “Yes,” she grated through clenched teeth. “It does.”

Max shifted nervously behind her. “I should probably go.”

“Yes,” Braith informed him at the same time that Aria snapped, “No.”

Frustration filled him. As he reached for her, she smacked his hand away. “Aria…”

“He is my friend Braith and that’s not going to change, no matter how much you disapprove.” He didn’t get a chance to argue further as she slammed her bow into his chest and stormed off. Jack stepped swiftly out of her way as she stalked past him, shooting him a dark look as she went.

Max stood uncertainly, looking torn between wanting to bolt, and wanting to laugh out loud. Braith glared at him. “If you hurt her again, it will be the last time.”

Max nodded, an infuriating smile played at the corners of his mouth. Braith fought the urge to punch him but the boy hadn’t done anything wrong, at least not yet. He didn’t trust him though, not for one minute. In fact he thought the best thing would be for Max to leave and never return, but unless Max made that choice himself, or unless he did something to Aria again, it looked like that wouldn’t happen anytime soon. Max was important in the cause, and for some unfathomable reason, Aria cared for him.

Braith turned away from him and moved swiftly into the house. She was in the room they had shared last night. She looked exhausted and worn, far more so than the encounter outside should have made her. He was bewildered by the distressed look on her face, the dark circles that marred her beautiful blue eyes.

“Did he do or say something to upset you?”

“No,” she answered tiredly. “He apologized, and then he tried to help mend our friendship. I miss him Braith, I know what happened before but we were once good friends. I wouldn’t have survived after I left the palace if it wasn’t for Max. I was heartbroken and he helped to ease some of that.”

Braith didn’t like to think about that time, it hadn’t been easy for either of them. “He’s in love with you.”

Tears shimmered in her eyes. “Maybe then, but he’s accepted that I don’t feel the same way about him, and he’s trying to move on. He may not approve but he knows that I love you.”

“I don’t approve of him either.”

“I wish you would learn to get along. Max was an important part of my life, and I would like to have him back in it. I’m not foolish enough to believe it can ever be the same, but I’d like to at least see the two of you come to some sort of understanding with each other.”

“And if he hurts you again?”

“He won’t.”

“But if he does?”

A single tear slid free. “I’ll stay away from him then.”

“He almost killed you last time.”

“Braith stop! It was an accident, a mistake. I will never know what happened to him in that palace. I was lucky that you stepped forward to take me from that other vampire.” Braith’s hands fisted, his muscles locked as he recalled the bastard that had almost owned her. “I can only guess at what was done to Max. You especially should know it couldn’t have been easy or pleasant.”

“That’s not fair.”

“Nothing is fair!” She practically screamed the words at him. He was startled by the ferocity of her reaction, the devastation that radiated from her; the tears that suddenly burst free and streamed down her face. He’d seen her cry before but he’d never seen this level of emotion over something he hadn’t even realized was bothering her so much. She was almost irrational, something that she never was.

“I didn’t realize this was upsetting you so much.” He told her as she dropped her head into her hands. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed quietly. Her cries only increased when he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him. Desperation radiated from her as her fingers dug into his back. “Arianna…”

“I’m sorry,” she sobbed. “I’m so sorry.”

He was unbelievably confused. He’d been around irrational women before, not for long because he usually left them behind if it happened, but this was Aria. His unbelievably proud and fierce Aria was sobbing uncontrollably for some reason that he couldn’t even begin to fathom. Her exhaustion must be getting to her, a fact that was evident in her pale face and shadowed eyes.

“For what?” he demanded, frightened and uncertain of what her answer would be.

She shook her head, seemingly unable to speak through her tears. He grabbed hold of her cheeks, pulling her face from his chest. “What are you sorry for?”

“I just…” she broke off, swallowing heavily as she tried to suppress her tears. “I just know how much you don’t trust him, and I know I frightened you today. I didn’t mean to.”

It was true, but it didn’t warrant this. “Don’t cry Arianna, it’s ok.”

Absurdly, she began to cry more. He pulled her back against him, rocking her as she buried her face in his chest again. A large sob escaped her; she bit on her lip hard enough to draw blood which he scented in the air almost immediately.

“Braith?” Jack’s voice interrupted.