Read Online Stricken (The War Scrolls Book 1) by A.K. Morgen - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: A.K. Morgen
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make her hate him completely. “I’m sorry,” he said, backing down. “And I’m sorry you don’t want me here, but I’m not leaving.”
Aubrey opened her mouth and then closed it, not speaking. She raked her hair back from her face and huffed. “Fine,” she said then, venom and sarcasm dripping from her tone. “Make yourself at home, asshole .”
Without another word, she slipped past him into her bedroom.
The door slammed closed so hard the glass tables in the living room rattled.
“Son of a bitch,” Killian muttered.
Chapter Five
“What a jerk,” Aubrey muttered, tearing her dirty clothes off and flinging them to the floor. She stomped toward her dresser, grabbed a pair of panties and a T-shirt, and jerked them on before moving toward the bed.
Her heart thundered, anger and humiliation pulsing through her in turns as she ripped the covers back and collapsed onto the bed. She really did not like Killian. He was rude and cruel, and she’d been an idiot to believe for even a second that he was nothing like her tormentor. He was worse than the monster from her past. At least that Halfling hadn’t pretended to be civilized and sympathetic as Killian did.
She was so stupid for entangling herself with him. Now she was stuck with him, and she wanted him gone. He made her remember things she didn’t want to think about. She’d rather face the shifters on her own than spend another minute with him.
“Aubrey?” he called through the door.
She ignored him, grabbing a fistful of blankets and dragging them up over her.
“I’m sorry,” he said a moment later.
She refused to be swayed by the way he said the words as if he genuinely meant them. “Go away,” she shouted, turning onto her side to stare blankly at the far wall. Tears burned in her eyes, but they didn’t fall. She hadn’t let them fall in the light of day in a long time, not since Mel had packed up what remained of her things and brought her to Memphis three years ago. Aubrey refused to let that change just because Killian had asked her questions that weren’t his business, pried into her past with his Talents, or turned her dad’s pet name into something cold and bitter.
He was a jerk, and she hated him.
Aubrey waited for him to say something else, but he didn’t.
She sniffled and squeezed her eyes closed, feeling miserable inside and out. Her leg throbbed where the shifter had scratched her. Her neck hurt from the uncomfortable position she’d curled herself into while hiding. Her heart ached at everything she’d learned in the last few hours and everything those revelations had brought rearing to the surface. She wished Mel was home to pat her on the shoulder and tell her frowning would give her wrinkles.
Her aunt was as unreliable as they came, but she had a way of making even the most miserable situation seem tolerable, and Aubrey missed her. Mel was her only real friend and the only connection she had to her past. Mel had uprooted her entire life for Aubrey without complaint after the fire, taking Aubrey in and bringing her here, far away from the sad reminders of everything she’d lost in Wisconsin.
Her father’s sister didn’t know everything Aubrey had gone through or about the angel blood running through Aubrey’s veins, but she didn’t judge or pry. She let Aubrey work things out in her own way and didn’t coddle her to death. She was always there when Aubrey needed to talk, though. Aubrey could have used some of her practical wisdom right then, but her aunt was safer in the middle of the ocean.
The television in the living room clicked on.
Muted laughter floated beneath the bedroom door, the happy sound seeming to mock Aubrey. The life she’d built for herself was crumbling around her. She was being sucked back into a world she wanted no part of. Worse, she had no choice in the matter. All she had was a rude warrior who might or might not kill her and a heart full of
Aubrey opened her mouth and then closed it, not speaking. She raked her hair back from her face and huffed. “Fine,” she said then, venom and sarcasm dripping from her tone. “Make yourself at home, asshole .”
Without another word, she slipped past him into her bedroom.
The door slammed closed so hard the glass tables in the living room rattled.
“Son of a bitch,” Killian muttered.
Chapter Five
“What a jerk,” Aubrey muttered, tearing her dirty clothes off and flinging them to the floor. She stomped toward her dresser, grabbed a pair of panties and a T-shirt, and jerked them on before moving toward the bed.
Her heart thundered, anger and humiliation pulsing through her in turns as she ripped the covers back and collapsed onto the bed. She really did not like Killian. He was rude and cruel, and she’d been an idiot to believe for even a second that he was nothing like her tormentor. He was worse than the monster from her past. At least that Halfling hadn’t pretended to be civilized and sympathetic as Killian did.
She was so stupid for entangling herself with him. Now she was stuck with him, and she wanted him gone. He made her remember things she didn’t want to think about. She’d rather face the shifters on her own than spend another minute with him.
“Aubrey?” he called through the door.
She ignored him, grabbing a fistful of blankets and dragging them up over her.
“I’m sorry,” he said a moment later.
She refused to be swayed by the way he said the words as if he genuinely meant them. “Go away,” she shouted, turning onto her side to stare blankly at the far wall. Tears burned in her eyes, but they didn’t fall. She hadn’t let them fall in the light of day in a long time, not since Mel had packed up what remained of her things and brought her to Memphis three years ago. Aubrey refused to let that change just because Killian had asked her questions that weren’t his business, pried into her past with his Talents, or turned her dad’s pet name into something cold and bitter.
He was a jerk, and she hated him.
Aubrey waited for him to say something else, but he didn’t.
She sniffled and squeezed her eyes closed, feeling miserable inside and out. Her leg throbbed where the shifter had scratched her. Her neck hurt from the uncomfortable position she’d curled herself into while hiding. Her heart ached at everything she’d learned in the last few hours and everything those revelations had brought rearing to the surface. She wished Mel was home to pat her on the shoulder and tell her frowning would give her wrinkles.
Her aunt was as unreliable as they came, but she had a way of making even the most miserable situation seem tolerable, and Aubrey missed her. Mel was her only real friend and the only connection she had to her past. Mel had uprooted her entire life for Aubrey without complaint after the fire, taking Aubrey in and bringing her here, far away from the sad reminders of everything she’d lost in Wisconsin.
Her father’s sister didn’t know everything Aubrey had gone through or about the angel blood running through Aubrey’s veins, but she didn’t judge or pry. She let Aubrey work things out in her own way and didn’t coddle her to death. She was always there when Aubrey needed to talk, though. Aubrey could have used some of her practical wisdom right then, but her aunt was safer in the middle of the ocean.
The television in the living room clicked on.
Muted laughter floated beneath the bedroom door, the happy sound seeming to mock Aubrey. The life she’d built for herself was crumbling around her. She was being sucked back into a world she wanted no part of. Worse, she had no choice in the matter. All she had was a rude warrior who might or might not kill her and a heart full of
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