Crave the Darkness Read Online Free Page B

up in his office. Death by paper cut didn’t seem to be a concern.
    Xander ignored me, his pen scratching against paper as he put his sweeping signature next to several red X’s. He set down the pen and pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes closed. Pushing away from the desk, he leaned back against the headrest of his chair and sighed.
    “Your immature behavior had Raif climbing the walls with worry. If you were anyone else,” Xander said, “I’d have had Dimitri fetch you. And believe me, you wouldn’t have wanted to be on the receiving end of his persuasion tactics.”
    “Raif came by every day,” I said, maybe a little too indignant. “And he escorted me to all of my hearings. It’s not like he didn’t know where I was or what was going on with me.”
    “For the past few months, perhaps. Though your presence of mind is up for debate.” Xander leaned forward, pinning me with his stare. “But before that, when you . . . disappeared,
no one
knew what happened to you.”
    A truth I didn’t enjoy being reminded of.
    “The Jinn wasn’t the only one affected by your disappearance. And your behavior of late is an insult to those who have cared for you and care for you still. You have been very selfish.”
    Seriously? Xander was accusing
me
of being selfish? In my opinion, he wrote the book on that particular subject. “Well, excuse me, Xander, for thinking of myself. But—”
    “I worried for you,” Xander cut me off. “I worried . . . you wouldn’t return. Do not, ever again, run off on your own like that. You have my entire military force at your disposal. In the future, use it.”
    Huh.
A reprimand? Or something more? Xander’s tone didn’t carry its usual kingly arrogance. Instead, he sounded truly concerned. Afraid, even. Maybe I’d hurt more people than I thought, leaving like I had. I’d assumed that secrecy was key. That accomplishing my goals single-handedly showed my strength. Instead, it only made me look stupid. Heartless.
Thanks, Xander, as if my guilt complex wasn’t bad enough already
.
    “I appreciate your concern, Xander.” I fought for a civil tone because the sarcasm was threatening to bleed through. “In the future, I’ll remember your generous offer. But what I did had to be done without an army. It was
my
responsibility. And it wasn’t worth risking anyone else’s life.”
    Xander’s palm came down on the desktop with a crack as he shot up out of his chair, startling me. “
Your
life is not worth risking!” Fire sparked in his eyes, and he took a couple of calming breaths before sitting back down. “I would appreciate it if you took precautions the next time your
responsibilities
arise.” His tone became soft once again, and then he added, “Raif would appreciate it.”
    Ugh. We could go on like this for hours, and I was way too tired to go twelve rounds with him. All I needed was my assignment and then I could get the fuck out of here. “I’ll be more careful in the future,” I said through clenched teeth. “Now, what’s the job?”
    Xander frowned, a crease digging into his forehead just above the bridge of his nose. “Anya,” he said with a sigh, looking past me toward the door as if he was afraid she’d hear him. “She’s in need of protection.”
    My feet twitched, ready to turn me the hell around and take me out of Xander’s office. No way. Too much slack for me to pick up. A five-million-dollar retainer wouldn’t secure my services in this case. I’d rather eat shards of glass than protect her bony ass, and Xander knew it.
    “Before you deny me, Darian, you should know that Anya is pregnant.”
    My jaw dropped, and I was sure it hit the fucking floor. “Pregnant?”
Good
.
God
. I couldn’t imagine. Women like Anya ate their young. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
    “It’s rare,” Xander said. “Her child is precious to our people, and I won’t risk her or her unborn child’s safety.”
    “I’ve never seen a Shaede child