Chapter 48
Annalise
That failure, however, came with consequences. My first plan backfired spectacularly.
One afternoon, I was in the kitchen eating strawberries when Dane walked in. His presence filled the room like a storm cloud. With a single glance, he ordered everyone else out. They left without a word.
I froze, the sweet taste of strawberries suddenly bitter on my tongue.
I’d been avoiding Dane on purpose, knowing it would irritate him more than anything else. I kept my distance, spent my days with Cassian or even Sylus, and refused to let him into my mind. I knew it would hurt him to be blocked like that, and that was exactly the point.
But now, with the room empty and his dark eyes boring into mine, I realized just how much tension I’d stirred.
I was testing their limits, pu
