Page 51 of Mine before Dawn

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She didn't want to think of the problems ahead and lay there drowsily dreaming of a little girl with light brown skin and eyes like silver. She drifted half asleep, listening vaguely to cupboards opening.

Then there was silence for a while.

Asha frowned and pushed herself upright slightly.

“James?”

There was no answer. A flicker of unease went through her.

Then he reappeared beside the bed, and relief swept through her.

Immediately she saw the expression on his face.

Not anger exactly, only hurt. He looked betrayed.

In his hands was a folded piece of paper.

Her stomach dropped to her feet.

She watched as the map crumpled in his fist.

“You were plannin’ t’leave?"

Asha sat up slowly, clutching the blanket against herself.

“I—”

“You were gonna go. You would have disappeared and not said a word.”

There was panic beneath the roughness of his voice now. He looked haunted.

“Asha.”

She swallowed hard.

“I couldn’t bear it,” she whispered.

His jaw looked like it was hewn from stone.

“Bear what?”

“Seeing you with her.” Her eyes filled again instantly. “And if you had asked me to stay with you anyway…” She laughed shakily at herself, admitting why. “I don’t know if I would have said no.”

James went utterly still.

“I hope I would have,” she whispered miserably. “But I don’t know.”

A savage expression crossed his face then. Before she could say sorry, he tore the map cleanly in half. Then again and again, like he was making a point.

Paper confetti fluttered to the floor around him. His bare chest rose like bellows beneath uneven breaths.

“You’re not leavin’ me.”

The words came out like a fierce vow as his nostrils flared.

It came out possessive, almost desperate.

Asha could only say softly—

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