“Yes, it was me. I wanted to come to you, but I didn’t. Damn it.” He kicked a huge rock, and she watched it sail through the air and crash into a tree, denting the rough bark. “So I came to you in a blasted dream, and told you to meet me there when I knew it would be closed. There’d be no risk of running into Isaac or his big oaf, Connor. But you would go to the familiar location, thinking Isaac would be there. And since you hadn’t met Isaac yet, it would have been me. I would be the one in your bed. I would be the one you trusted. Not him.”
She flushed as images of them in bed together played through her head. “How do you know he did it in trickery? Maybe he just happened to show up. He had no way of knowing you were planning the same. And he goes there all the time.”
“I don’t know how he did it!” he exclaimed in frustration, as he slashed a hand through the air. “All I do know is he’s a sneaky bastard who stole you away. And now he reaps the benefits.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way. Maybe he did or didn’t do what you say. But even if he did, who are you to judge? Need I remind you what happened to Amelia?”
Elijah sucked in his breath. “Touché.”
“I’m sorry. You have so much anger in you, it’s hard not to fight back sometimes,” she murmured. This conversation had gone on long enough. Isaac wouldn’t like this—not one little bit. And, yes, she cared about his feelings. How could she not, when she loved him?
She cared for Elijah, too, though. Which royally sucked, since he should be her enemy…since he was Isaac’s. But, she felt a pull toward him, some feelings she could not shove aside. His sadness struck her as if it were her own. Seeing him alone in the world hurt. He needed a friend. Couldn’t she be that for him, at least?
Would it be so wrong to fill that position?
“Anger over losing you? Yes, I do. Anger over watching Amelia die? Yes, that too. It eats at me, consumes me. I breathe, feel, and live anger and pain. It is all I know. I can’t stand knowing I have lost you—again.”
“You never had me. I’m not Amelia. You have to understand the difference here. And I love him. Not you. I’m sorry.” She ended on a whisper.
“You thought you loved him before. I proved you wrong,” he pointed out. Desperation rang out in his tone, and he leaned toward her. His gaze bore into hers, beseeching her to give into his will.
“That isn’t me, Elijah. I’m not her. We are two different people,” she insisted. “Why can’t you accept I’m not your long-lost love, but only a woman who resembles her?”
“Damn it, Sabrina. You are her, and you belong with me, not him,” he urged.
“No, I don’t,” she whispered. She felt bad for being so blunt. His love shone clear in his eyes. But she loved Isaac, and the sooner Elijah accepted it, the better off they would al
l be. “Elijah, Isaac and I are close now. I know there are feelings you have…you’ve confused me for Amelia. I’m not her. I know you think you care for me, but—”
“I think I care for you? I’m sorry, but that’s an understatement.” He laughed harshly and grabbed her hand to place it on his chest before biting out, “Do you feel a heartbeat? No? Well, it used to beat for you, and only you. If I had a heart now, it would still beat only for you.
“Why does your heart beat faster when I’m near?” He placed his hand on her chest, and she flushed when her traitorous heart sped up. “I can hear your heart beating from a mile away. I hear it speed up as I come near. I hear your breathing get faster as well. Especially when I do this.”
Grabbing her chin firmly, he crushed his lips to her passionately. She cringed, afraid she’d feel the same surging emotions she always had in his arms. And to feel anything now would be the worst betrayal to her and Isaac. But she sagged against Elijah in relief when she realized she only had some slight desire toward him. But not love. Never love.
He wasn’t Isaac.
He seemed to sense she didn’t react as she had in the past, for he pulled back to look at her, shock and resignation in his eyes.
She, however, couldn’t help but be marvelously relieved. Elijah no longer had a pull over her. For her, Isaac—and only Isaac—would do. She smiled but flinched in guilt as she saw Elijah’s distraught face. She cupped his cheek, as she gave him one last tender peck on his lips.
“I’m sorry. You have to let me go,” she whispered.
“But, Sabrina—” His words were lost in the howling of the winds whipping in gale-like force around the two of them. Odd, it hadn’t seemed windy before….
An invisible force threw Elijah backward through the air. She heard a grunt of pain as he slammed into a tree. Unable to hold straight at the assault, it crashed to the ground. Elijah lay in a heap on the ground at the splintered base of the tree, unmoving for a split second. Leaping to his feet, he growled.
She turned to search the forest, but the furious wind whipped her hair in her face and the thunder crashing overhead told her with frightening clarity who lurked in the shadows.
Isaac.
Her heart lurched to a halt as she realized he had seen her kissing Elijah. He would be mad. No, furious. The dangerous storm attested to as much. They were going to fight over her, and one of them would die.
Oh, God.
“Isaac, no!” She screamed too late. He already soared through the air to crash on top of Elijah. He snarled and grabbed Elijah’s head. She gasped when she realized he tried to rip his head off. The next step to killing him, she knew, would be salt water.
He didn’t fight to teach a lesson to Elijah—he fought to kill.