The Reckoning (Zodiac Academy, #3)

by Caroline Peckham

And most of all I was sick of wanting her and hating her all at once.

My stomach was a knot of constantly warring instincts. I wanted to crush her and hold her at the same time. Every strike I made at her almost seemed to cut me more than her.

When I’d pushed her in that fucking mud, I had to lock my muscles into place to stop myself from diving down after her and lifting her back into my arms. And then I looked into her eyes and saw a moment of hurt there that had nothing to do with physical pain or humiliation but had everything to do with me and what I knew she had felt for me too...

It was time we broke the Vegas and got them the hell out of this school. And if I had to break myself to do it then that was just the price I’d have to pay.

My gaze narrowed on it. Why hadn’t he just healed it away? Did he even know it was there? When had she given him that? Was it last night when she went to him? Had they even slept at all? Were they literally in the middle of it when we were trying to call him? Had she had her mouth on his neck just a few moments ago? Smoke filled my mouth and I fought to swallow it, refusing to let him see just how much those thoughts pissed me off.

Caleb set his coffee down on the table, running a thumb over the hickey on his neck like he wasn’t even aware he was doing it. “You wanna explain what you’re going on about or just keep on ranting?” he asked. “Because from where I’m sitting, it just sounds like you’re jealous.” Seth sucked in a sharp breath and leaned back on the couch, pressing himself against Max like he was expecting a fight to break out at any second. I bit back the response I wanted to give Caleb as my gut lurched uncomfortably. That’s not the fucking point.

“No. It was them. Roxy admitted it to me and Orion.” “Then why isn’t she dead already?” Seth asked angrily. Fire simmered in my veins at that suggestion and for a fleeting moment I wanted to throw myself between him and Roxy to keep her safe