Fable of Happiness (Fable #2) by Pepper Winters

Rearing off me, he grabbed my knee, digging his fingers around the sensitive joint. “Hold still.”

I ignored him, kicking as much as I could with him pressing my leg into the blankets. “Look, you’ve just woken up. Truly woken up for the first time in almost two weeks. I get that this is probably overwhelming. I can’t imagine what sort of horrors you’ve been reliving while lying here. But you have to trust me—”

“Trust you?” He laughed so coldly, so darkly, my shivers turned to terrified quakes. “I’ll never trust you. Two weeks? You say I’ve been in and out of consciousness for two fucking weeks, and you think...what? That I’ll bow at your feet in gratefulness for keeping me alive?” His fingers dug deeper. “You’re the one who did this to me.”

“I didn’t do this to you. Not at all. I’m trying to save you!”

“So you deny being the reason I have the worst fucking headache and can’t keep my thoughts straight?”

“No, I’m not denying that. You fell.”

He laughed. “Fell, huh?”

I winced but pushed onward. “I might have had a role to play in your current agony, but I’m also the one who looked after you.”

“Did I ask for a nursemaid?”

“No, but you certainly needed one!”

“Only because you threw me off the goddamn cliff!”

“It was an accident!”

“Yeah, right.” Shifting on his knees, he reached for my ankle again.

“No, wait.” I sat up, trying to push him away. “You don’t have to tie me up.” I licked my lips, forcing myself to add. “We have so much to discuss. I’m-I’m not going to escape.”

“That’s what you think I’m afraid of?” He rolled his eyes, hissing under his breath as he swayed.

“If not that, then why—”

“You’ve taken all the liberties you’ll ever take with me.” Shaking his head, he snatched and fumbled with the cuff.

“Stop that.” I kicked. Hard. “I didn’t take any liberties. I cared for you! I told you I’m not going anywhere because I would never leave someone who needs help.”

“Help?” He snorted. “Yeah, you’re the one who needs help.” He was prepared for my fight, his fingernails latching into my delicate flesh, holding me firm.

“You need me more than I need you, believe me.” I kicked again, sucking in a breath at his grunt of pain. The pain of his broken arm. “Don’t do this. Stop it. Just calm down for a second.” Habits born from the past ten days split me with two desires. He was my patient. I was in charge of his welfare. But he was also being a total jackass who needed reminding that I wasn’t someone he could trap.

Not again.

“Hey!” Launching upright, I fought him. “Just listen to me. That isn’t necessary!”

He shifted, putting his body between me and my leg, something gold flashed in his fingers.

“Stop it!” I kicked and wriggled. I scratched his naked back and did my best to push him off...but it was too late.

I felt the imprisonment before I saw it. Condemned with the tightening of leather, the click of a buckle, and the snap of a padlock locking into place.

The moment the leash was around me, he backed off.

He dropped my leg, shoved himself away from me, and drew his knees up while sitting on his ass. With a groan, he dropped his head between his legs, breathing hard, suffering thanks to his concussion.

I flatly refused to feel sorry for the bastard.

I let all my anger, my tiredness, and my need to go home infect my voice. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I fumbled at the cuff around my ankle, yanking on the padlock. “Give me the key. Let me go this instant.”

He pursed his lips, his skin graying.

He didn’t reply.

I sat stewing, rage hissing through me. “You can’t do this. Not after—”

“Stop moaning for one bleeding second.”

I bristled. “I’ll stop when you do the right thing and let me go.”

He glowered at me under his brows, his jaw clenched and long hair wild around his cheeks. “Just like you did the right thing and pushed me off a cliff?”

Stiffening, I stuck my nose in the air. “I already told you. I didn’t do it intentionally.”

“Oh, no?” He grimaced, trying to grin but still too sick to master it. “Could’ve fooled me. My body feels as if you did your very best to kill me.”

“I’m sorry, okay. Eternally sorry for what I caused. But do you honestly think if I tried to kill you, I’d still be here?” I crossed my arms, grateful for the warm sunlight pouring into the library. Dust motes danced in the pinkish rays, glittering on bronze bindings of ancient books. “I dragged you inside, you idiot. I—”

“You felt guilty for killing me, that’s all.” He dug his good hand into his hair, massaging his head. “Nothing more.”

“Gah, you’re the most infuriating, pig-headed idiot I’ve ever met.”

He shrugged as if he didn’t care what I thought of him.

The urge to attack him flowed in my veins.

I’d gone to sleep with him wrapped around me, protected and safe. I’d woken to him dragging me out of sleep and once again treating me as his prisoner.