The Struggle(49)

His hair was the color of the sun, unruly and growing out, falling across a flawless forehead. Broad, high cheekbones. Strong jaw cut like marble. Skin golden. A face and body that had been perfectly sculpted. He was wearing dark jeans and a fitted gray shirt.

I could see his glyphs.

Stunning amber runes endlessly churned over every inch of exposed flesh. It was rare to see them.

He wasn’t alone.

Oh gods, he was so not alone, not at all, and I thought for a moment that I hadn’t truly woken up. I was having a nightmare, because Seth was embracing another woman.





Chapter 16


My heart pounded painfully against my ribs as I stared at the man I loved—the man I was in love with—standing close, too close to another woman. And his hands were on her. One gripped the woman’s small shoulder. The other was just below her breasts. Their eyes were closed, and the woman’s tensed expression looked like she was in the throes of a—

Oh gods.

I tried to process what I was seeing. There was a part of me that recognized what was happening, but my thoughts were barely making any sense. One bounced off the other, and I couldn’t grasp onto any of them.

This, after everything else, was too much.

Stumbling back, I threw my arm out, stopping myself from sliding down the wall like I was in the midst of a complete breakdown. Maybe I was, because I couldn’t stop the gasp of surprise that sounded like thunder on the otherwise quiet balcony.

Seth’s entire body jerked. He wheeled around and those beautiful amber eyes went wide when he spotted me.

Alex appeared beside me, and anger rolled off her in waves, but he wasn’t looking at her. He was staring at me like he’d seen a ghost rise from a grave, like there was a part of him that never expected to see me again, and perhaps that was true, because he had left me.

And I guessed that did mean he hadn’t expected to see me again.

Seth took a step toward me, the beautiful woman in the spun gold gown apparently forgotten. “Josie?”

The sound of his voice, my name spoken so hoarsely, was an explosion to my senses. This was real—all of this was real. My gaze darted between him and the woman. She smiled as she clasped her hands together. I sucked in a sharp breath.

I was suddenly on the move, unsure of what I was doing or where I was going. All I knew was I needed to be far away from right there. I needed a place to think, to straighten out the twisty thoughts and swamping emotions.

“Really?” I heard Alex say, disbelief dripping off her tone. “After everything we just talked about? Seriously?”

“Not right now,” Seth snapped back, and I had no idea what they were talking about. “Josie,” he called again. “Wait.”

Turning, I stumbled back inside, each step as painful as the last. My breath was coming in pants. Tiny bursts of light dotted my vision. I squeezed my eyes shut as a wave of dizziness assaulted me.

“Josie.” His voice was closer, and I stopped moving because I was seriously winded and needed a break. Walking was hard, but hearing his voice right then, that slight accent I could never place, was even harder. “Alex,” I heard him say. “Can you give us some space?”

“I don’t know if I want to give you space right now,” she spat.

Gods, she’d seen him with that—that woman. Despite everything going through my head and everything that had happened to me, I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment. I had no idea what was happening.

“Alex.” His voice dropped low with a warning. “Go find something to do.”

“Are you okay with me leaving, Josie?” she asked, and I wanted to disappear into the bushy potted plants. “Because if not, I’ll make Douche Canoe over here disappear.”

Seth let out an aggravated breath, and I opened my eyes. I could only look at Alex. Her face was flushed with anger, and I had a suspicion she would gladly throw down with him.

“I’m . . . I’m okay,” I managed to say. “It’s okay.”

She hesitated, shooting one last glare in Seth’s direction. “You’re a dumbass—such a fucking dumbass.” Turning to me, she gave a faint smile. “I’ll check in on you later.”

“Okay,” I whispered, almost wishing I hadn’t sent her away, because she was stalking off down the hall, and now Seth and I were alone. It was strange, because before Hyperion came, before I saw him outside, I’d wanted nothing more than to be alone with Seth.

“I can explain,” Seth said after a moment.

An unbelieving hoarse laugh shook me. That was possibly the most incredibly cliché thing I’d ever heard.

“I know how that looked, but whatever you’re thinking, you’re wrong,” he continued, and I heard him step closer. My gaze flew to his chest. “And I will explain everything to you, but right now is not the time.”