Summer of Frost (Forever Fae #3)(44)

After he said that his body tensed, but when he saw me watching him he relaxed, even though it looked forced. “Well, I don’t know where I would’ve learned it from,” I claimed. “Not unless someone from the Summer Court trained me.”

Alston laughed nervously. “No, that couldn’t be it. You don’t ever spend time with anyone from the Summer other than Calista and Meliantha, and they aren’t even Summer Fae anymore.”

I didn’t need magic to hear the bold faced lie in his statement. He still wouldn’t even look me in the eye when he spoke either. Now all I needed was to come up with a plan, but what? I wondered. My momentary distraction cost me a swift kick to the leg from Alston, making me fall to the ground with a loud thump. The breath whooshed out of me when I made impact.

“Ow!” I groaned furiously.

Alston appeared above me, smiling. “You weren’t paying attention, baby. Besides, it was funny watching you fall on your ass.”

I scowled at him and quickly got to my feet. “You’re going to pay for that,” I hissed. All I needed was a few good hits on him to incapacitate him, and then I could make a run for it. By no means was I afraid of Alston, so if he did catch me I could defend myself, but I was hoping it wouldn’t come to that. My main concern at the moment was contacting Oren.

Alston’s wicked grin didn’t help my growing anger as we circled each other. “You are so damn sexy when you’re mad. It makes for good make-up sex.”

I rolled my eyes. “I wouldn’t count on it.”

“Oh come on, Sorcha, you know you want it. You’ve always been an insatiable woman,” he teased.

“Will you shut up?” He was goading me and I fell right into it. He loved to see me angry, and he got his wish. I dodged his attacks, except when the opportunity presented itself I went in for the hit. I landed a hard jab to Alston’s jaw, making his head turn away from me with a snap. Not wasting any time, I made a run for it, and didn’t look back.

“Sorcha!” Alston yelled. He chased after me, and with his long legs and my magic dampened I couldn’t use my earth abilities to help slow him down. I didn’t get too far before his weight barreled into me and he landed on top, crushing me to the ground. I struggled to breathe as his weight pinned me beneath him.

“What the hell was that?” he growled in my face.

I smirked. “It was a love tap,” I said sarcastically. “You deserved it for pissing me off.”

He rubbed his jaw and shook his head. “I love to see you pissed, but not like that. It still turned me on though,” he teased.

Huffing, I sighed, “Whatever, Alston. Do you mind getting off me?”

He pushed his body into me further, and I could definitely tell my anger turned him on from the hard bulge pressing up against my leg. His forearms closed me in as he leaned on his elbows, looking down at me. “I kind of like it here. You’ve never complained about me being on top before.”

Alston lowered his head to kiss me, but I turned my head away before our lips could touch. “Well, I’m complaining now. I’m going to ask again, do you mind getting off of me?”

His growl was menacing, but he slowly lifted up his body and got to his feet. “What happened to you? We were hot and heavy back home, f*cking anywhere and everywhere we could.”

“Yeah, maybe ten months ago,” I mumbled.

“Excuse me,” he said quickly, alarmed.

I waved him off. “Nothing, just forget I said anything.” His grip was bruising when he encircled my arms, pulling me up against him. “Alston, you’re hurting me,” I warned, gritting my teeth.

He didn’t let me go, but held me there, studying my face. “You know something, don’t you?”

“Like what?” I asked incredulously. “You’re acting as if you have something to hide. Maybe you know something I don’t.”

We stared each other down until something caught his eye over my shoulder. “Fuck!” he hissed. Grabbing my arm forcefully, he hurried me in the direction of the house.

“What’s going on? What did you see?” I asked anxiously.

He kept dragging me behind him, and when I snuck a glance behind me I saw nothing. I tried to root my feet to the ground, but instead of me standing my ground it only infuriated Alston more. He picked me up and slung me over his shoulder, running the rest of the way to the house. When we got there, he kicked the door open and dropped me on the floor. Thankfully, I landed on my feet and not on my ass again.

Glaring at him, I crossed my arms over my chest. “I hope that’s not the way you take your wife over the threshold when you get married,” I quipped sarcastically.

“I just did,” he sneered. “Welcome home, honey.”

“You’re serious, aren’t you?”

His sneer grew into an all-out wicked grin. The mask had been lifted from his face, and what I saw was not the Alston I knew and cared about months ago. His eyes showed the cruelty and possessiveness that I’d always known was there, but hidden. He stalked toward me with long and determined strides, saying along the way, “You’re mine, Sorcha, and no one is going to take you away from me.”

I began taking steps back to get away from Alston’s predatory gaze, but he kept advancing. “Why did you rush me in here? What’s out there? Or better yet … who’s out there?”