Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Playing with Fire

Clare’s POV

I wanted to be closer to Leonel; that was all I knew.

I could sense him walking across the ballroom. Every inch of me was attuned to him as he walked up to the two of us, even though I didn’t look at him. I could sense him as he began walking toward us, and the hairs on my neck stood up when he approached and stood in front of John and me.

It took me a moment to realize he was insulting John before I came back to reality, and I called him out for it. But the man, the stupid, handsome man, standing in front of me only bowed his head in apology toward me and said the stupidest thing out of his gorgeous lips.

“After all, he seems to be a good friend of my mate.”

I wanted to deny it at first, but everything in me was fighting against it. I wanted to say yes, yes I was his and he was mine and we belonged to each other wholly, completely. But then something else turned in my mind and the image of my brother’s scarred back flashed forward.