Chapter Forty-Five

Not an hour later, we return to the party. Elias and Scarlett Parity leave me to find my husband, and it really wasn't that hard to find him. He was the center piece of the party. The most popular man in the country. If you wanted to find Inanis, just follow the crowd.

I sifted my way through the mass of people, and my husband, who was talking with some person I've never met, nor do I care to, made me pause when I looked at him.

How had I not acknowledged it sooner? He doesn't just look tired, he looks sick. The stress was in physical form on his body, and he looked more exhausted than I had assumed.

His head turned, and when our eyes met, his shoulders lifted, as if a new found energy spiked through his system. He cut the man off in the middle of his sentence, and strode over to me. His arm wrapped around my own, pulling me closely against his chest, making sure I wouldn't leave him again.

He leaned to whisper in my ear, "Where the fuck have you been?"

He did not sound happy.

I opened my mouth to respond, but I was stopped by another person, greeting Inanis as if they were friends. I don't have to know the person to know they've never met.

When they are finished talking, before anyone else could stop my husband, and spark conversation, I pull on his arm, wordlessly beckoning him to follow me.

To my surprise, he does.

I pull him out of the ball room, and down the long corridor of the building. There are a few couples leaning against the wall, dressed in the finest clothing, with wine glasses in their hands. They were talking with one another, laughing, and enjoying the silence of the hall, rather than the boisterous noise coming from the party.

I understood their need for quiet.

"Mirea." Inanis speaks up, as we exit the building, the cool night air as welcoming as the solitude.

"There is a pathway beside the building, we can walk it."

"Why the hell would we do that?"

I ignore him, and he doesn't stop us as we walk onto the path, and I intertwine my arm with his.

The stars aren't very prominent in the sky tainted by city light, but nevertheless, some persist through the industrial blinding, and appear brightly for us to see.

Inanis ruins the moment by rudely asking, "Are you ever going to fucking explain why you left me in there, alone?"

"You've been a Bone Cutter most your life, Inanis. We've barely known each other a year. How did you ever attend parties without me then?"

He didn't have an answer for me, and I didn't push it.

"Where did you go?"

Shame clenched my chest as I forced myself to admit, "Seeing my mother made me panic."

"I should kill her."

"Why? She'd never physically hurt me."

"I don't care about her hurting you, the mere sight of her caused you to run from me, and I'm not fond of that." I see him already planning a murder in his head.

I roll my eyes, "Always thinking of others, aren't you."

He's silent much longer than I anticipated he even could be, as he finally asks, "Why are we out here?"

"Because you need it."

"When have you ever cared about what I need?"

I turn to him, "I had my moment to breathe, and I'm now giving you yours."

"That's ridiculous, breathing is impossible for me."

I frown, "You are the most ungrateful fucking-"

"Ungrateful fucking what?" He's baiting me, he's always baiting me.

I take the bait, "You're a fucking fish."

"That's the most tame insult you have ever come up with, it's so mellow, I'm actually impressed."

"You shouldn't be, fish are hideous, and they smell."

"And now I'm offended."

I shake my head, annoyed that no matter how hard I try to be nice to him, he always has to turn it into a joke, and of course, the joke has to be humored by me.

"We should return to the party." He suggests, and I give up. My good deeds can only withstand so much negativity. If he wants to be stressed as exhausted as he looked, fine by me.

"Then return."

He looked appalled, "I'm not going in there without you."

"Why not?"

"I'm, as you had told me, and never fail to remind me, five years old, and can not properly function without you."

"I never said you couldn't function without me."

"Yes, but that was your insinuation."

I can't even look at him, his own audacity was utterly incomprehensible. "You know," I say, "It would be nice if you knew how to say thank you."

"Yes, I'm sure it would."

And that was all he had to say on that.

I shouldn't be astounded. I should even expect his lack of gratitude, it is not as though he has ever showed appreciation before.

"You're going to burn yourself out." I tell him, matter-of-factly. "I can't wait to tell you I told you so."

"I can't make out what you're saying because I speak English, not nagging."

I snort, "I changed my mind, I don't want you out here with me, go back inside. You're insufferable."

"Hmm." He snaked an arm around my waist, pulling me against him. "Since when have I ever done what you say?"

I attempt to push away from him, "I can think of several times I had you wound around my finger. Particularly when I'm on top of you."

He sucks in a breath, "To any man those circumstances should be forfeited by default."

"I just love to hold your weakness over you."

"And what, pray tell, is my weakness?"

I feel as angry as I am motivated to get under his skin, "I am."

He blinks, his expression utterly unreadable, "That's a bold proclamation."

"Are you prepared to challenge me on it?"

Not a second of hesitation as he says, "No, not really."

I can't help but grin, "So then you admit I'm right."

"Only when you're naked."

I shove away from him successfully this time, hoping nobody was listening in on our conversation. I could see a few of Inanis's guards several feel away from us. They're always following, always watching. I wished, at this moment, they weren't. "You're disgusting." Is all I say, as I turn around, and begin walking back into the building.

I know he's grinning, but I refuse to look back at him to confirm it. When we return to the party, I immediately see my mother. She's surrounded by a multitude of other guests, and I want to disappear from everything.

She will always be scarier to me than any Bone Cutter.

Inanis follows my gaze to her, and a light brightens in his wicked gaze, "I'll speak with her, love." There was nothing about his tone that was encouraging, or comforting. He sounded as though he just wanted to 'speak' with her, because it meant he could be an asshole, and insert his dominance.

I grab his arm, "Don't even think about it. I don't need you causing a scene."

"My job is not to cause a scene." He says innocently, "It's to be the only scene, always." He shoved a finger against my head, "When will you get that through your thick head?"

He tugs his arm free from me, and hastily makes his way through the crowd, slipping away from me each time I attempt to grab him and pull him back. "Inanis!" I hiss, "Don't you fucking dare."

I stop when he approaches my mother. I'm too far to hear what he's saying, but there's a smile on her face, entirely fake, that slowly melts to the face of the mother I know all too well.

Whatever he said, she didn't like it.

I'm going to kill him. I'm going to tie him up like a fucking dog, and beat him with a stick.

Inanis turns to me, our eyes immediately making contact, "Mirea, come." He beckons me over to them, and I hesitantly move over. My glare so menacing, that I hope he remembers it when we get back home.

I think he really tried to ignore me, but he definitely won't forget.

My mother's eyes were locked on my being. She was sizing up my position. We haven't spoke since the day my father should have been executed.

"Hello, Mirea." Her tone is so conniving, I want to rip her gaze off my body.

"Hello, mother."

"I see you've done well for yourself."

Inanis's arm is around my body in a moment, "'Well' is an insult. I think you mean best."

"Shut up." I mutter to him, and of course, he ignores me.

"I'm thrilled to finally meet my mother-in-law." He continues, "My own mother is hideous, you're much more appealing to my eyes." He looked her up and down, "Though I admit, Mirea must have solely inherited your good qualities." He frowns, "Have you tried tanning?"

My mother's eyes widened, which I was not used to seeing. It isn't often one surprises my mother enough for her to show it, "Excuse me?"

"You're so," He waved his hand, "Pasty. It's unbecoming."

I can see her jaw clench, "I'm sorry you think so."

"I don't think so, darling, I know so. I have eyes, as you can so clearly tell."

I grip my husband's arm, my nails digging into the fabric of his coat, hoping at least he'd be bruised.

"You're confident." She says, taking a drink of wine, "Being the Bone Cutter must have corrupted your humility."

It was my turn to show surprise. How could she be so reckless as to say that to a Bone Cutter? Especially Inanis? He thrives off of petty insults, it only gives him reason to justify being the piece of shit that he is.

Of course, I was right. A wide grin set across his face, and I wanted to smack it off. "Perhaps I'm not the only one that was corrupted by fame. Your lack of respect is astounding."

"Should I respect a man who nearly kills my husband, and kidnaps my daughter?"

He shrugged, "What can I say? Murder and kidnapping is what beats my heart."

She doesn't look amused, "You're an abuse of power."

"And you're just mad I didn't kill your ex."

"I think that's enough." I force myself to speak, and I hate how my mother's attention is back on me, "We'll be going now, goodbye, mother."

I don't wait for her to say anything, as I use all my strength to pull Inanis away. He doesn't comply at first, until I grip the collar of his shirt, and lower him to my level, my whisper is venomous, "If you don't fucking move, I will start a rumor that you're gay, and I swear to god I will feed the rumor until I die."

He does begin to walk beside me, but he also doesn't seem too affected by my threat, "If I was gay, what would be my motivation for slipping my hand under your skirt?" His hand does indeed travel to my leg, and I slap it, hard.

"Control yourself, pig."

He sighs, but does, indeed control himself. Another couple approaches the both of us, and he puts on his glamorized mask and greets them as if he isn't bored out of his mind.

I look back, I can't stop myself from doing it. I see my mother, standing where we left her, and she's staring straight at me. Our eyes lock, and I can't seem to look away.

She's furious, that I already knew, but the look of pure wrath in her eyes made me shudder.

I had no doubt in my mind she wouldn't forget this, nor would she hesitate to put all the blame on me. Whatever happens next, it'd be of her own choosing. I wasn't sure which I was more scared for, myself, or her when Inanis finds out she wants revenge for being humiliated.

I then realize I want Inanis to do something. My mother has been entitled and cruel her whole life. To my own horror, I concluded not only did I want him to do something, I wanted her to be so humiliated that she'd never think she could cross me again.

Staring at my mother's crystal blue eyes, while tightening my grip around Inanis's arm as he speaks to the couple in front of us, I challenge my mother with a smile.