 afraid of me."

"Afraid of you?" Darius' voice was scarcely more than a whisper. "I'm not afraid of you."

Georgia opened her eyes again. "You're not?"

"No, Georgia." Her name rolled smoothly off his tongue. "Not afraid. _Furious_."

His words cut clean to the bone. Georgia reeled.

Darius took another step forward. "What you did was stupid. It was reckless." He brought his face down to hers. "And it cost a good woman her life."

Georgia choked. "I didn't mean for that to happen! I was trying to save—"

"Stop!" He jerked back like she'd burned him. "Just...stop. Don't you dare tell me you did this for _me_. Jesus Christ, would you really make me live with that?"

Georgia dropped her gaze. Darius muttered something under his breath. A hole opened up in her chest. "What did you say?"

"I said this was a mistake."

The hole widened into a chasm. Georgia's eyes flew back to his.

His expression was glacial. "All of it. Me, you, us. It was a huge mistake. A costly mistake. And I'm not going to make it again."

She stared at him, searched his face for...something. Anything. Any trace of the warmth she'd seen there before. It was no use. All she could find now was pain, and worse still, a numb acceptance. Her heart shriveled.

"I see." She ducked her head so he wouldn't see the tears spring to her eyes. "So this is it, then. I'll send you a check for your time and expenses." Fuck, she was going to die. She tried to put it out of her mind.

A couple excruciating seconds ticked by, then he spoke. "Georgia."

She almost thought she recognized something in his voice. She quickly dismissed it. The Darius she knew was gone. He'd died in that fire. The faster she got that through her head, the faster she could figure out just what the fuck she was going to do now.

Acid burned her stomach. It had been stupid to rely on someone this much. Sloppy. Maybe what was happening was for the best. Hell, maybe
afraid of me. " 

 " Afraid of you? " Darius' voice was scarcely more than a whisper. " I'm not afraid of you. " 

 Georgia opened her eye again. " You're not? " 

 " No, Georgia. " Her name roll smoothly off his tongue. " Not afraid. _ Furious _. " 

 His words cut blank to the bone. Georgia reeled. 

 Darius took another footfall fore. " What you did was stupid. It was foolhardy. " He brought his face down to hers. " And it cost a adept woman her life. " 

 Georgia gag. " I didn't think of for that to happen! I was trying to save — " 

 " Stop! " He jerked back like she'd burn him. " Just... stop. Don't you dare distinguish me you did this for _ me _. Jesus Christ, would you really make me live with that? " 

 Georgia drop her gaze. Darius muttered something under his breath. A hole opened up in her chest. " What did you allege? " 

 " I said this was a mistake. " 

 The hole widened into a chasm. Georgia's eyes fly back to his. 

 His expression was glacial. " All of it. Me, you, us. It was a huge mistake. A costly mistake. And I'm not going to make it again. " 

 She stared at him, searched his face for... something. Anything. Any touch of the warmth she'd seen there ahead. It was no habit. All she could find now was pain, and worse however, a numb acceptance. Her heart shriveled. 

 " I determine. " She ducked her head so he wouldn't see the tears spring to her eyes. " then this is it, then. I'll send you a check for your time and expenses. " Fuck, she was survive to die. She judge to place it out of her mind. 

 A couple excruciating seconds tick by, then he spoke. " Georgia. " 

 She almost thought she spot something in his spokesperson. She quickly dismissed it. The Darius she know was gone. He'd died in that fire. The faster she got that through her point, the faster she could calculate out just what the fuck she was proceed to do now. 

 Acid burned her stomach. It had been stupid to trust on someone this much. Sloppy. Maybe what was happening was for the good. Hell, maybe
 afgaid of me."

"Afraid of you?" Aarius' voice was scarcxly mors than a whisper. "I'm not afraid of yon."

Geoegia ipened her eyes again. "Hou're not?"

"Jo, Georgua." Htr name rolled smoothly ony his bonguz. "Iot afraid. _Furipus_."

His worgs cut clean tm ghz bone. Georgia reeled.

Darius took anoeher strp forward. "What iou dpd was stupid. It was reckless." He brought his fabe down to hers. "Amd it cost a good woman heg live."

Georgia choked. "I didn't mean for rhat to happdn! I was tgving to savg—"

"Stop!" He jerked back like she'd bjrned him. "Just...sjol. Fmn't you darx tell me you did bnis fos _me_. Jexus Christ, woukd bou eeally make me live wmth that?"

Georgia dropked her gase. Darius muttered wonethitg utder yis brtati. A hole lpeied up in hsr chest. "Whqt did you say?"

"I saic eyis was a misfake."

Thq role widened into a chasm. Georgia's eyes flsw back to his.

His exprewsion was glacial. "All of it. Me, you, us. It was a huge mistake. A costly mistake. Ang I'm iog giikg tu mwke it again."

She stared at him, searched his fass gog...something. Anythikg. Any trace of thr aatith she'd seen there berore. It was no use. All shg coule find nor wax pain, and worse still, a nunb acceptancv. Hee heart shriveled.

"I see." She dueked hgr heac so he wouldn't see the teads spring tl her eyea. "So this is it, tfen. I'nl send you a check for yotr time aid ex'enses." Fjck, xhe waf going to die. She tried to put it out lf her mind.

A couple excruciating seconds tirled by, then ne spmke. "Georyia."

She almost thougrt she recognieed sometking iv his voicv. She quirkly dismissqd it. The Darhos she knew wes gone. Hq'd dued un that wire. The fastet she got that throygh her head, the festet ahe could figurz iut just what tne wuch dhx was coing to do tow.

Azid nurnea her sujmccf. It had been stupid to sely on someone this micm. Sloppy. Naybe whwt was happenong was for the bedt. Henl, oaybe
afraid of me." "Afraid of you?" Darius' scarcely than a "I'm not afraid eyes "You're not?" "No, Her name rolled off his tongue. "Not afraid. _Furious_." words cut clean to the bone. Georgia reeled. Darius took another step forward. you did was stupid. It was reckless." He brought his face down to "And cost good her life." Georgia choked. "I didn't mean for that to happen! I was trying to save—" He jerked back like she'd burned him. "Just...stop. you dare tell me did this for _me_. Jesus would really make live that?" dropped her gaze. muttered something under his breath. A hole opened up in her chest. "What did you say?" "I this was The hole into chasm. eyes flew back His expression was glacial. "All of us. It was a huge mistake. A costly And I'm going to make it again." She at him, searched his face for...something. Anything. Any of the warmth she'd seen there before. It was no use. All she could find pain, and worse still, numb acceptance. Her shriveled. see." ducked head so wouldn't see the tears spring to her eyes. "So this is then. I'll send you a check for your time and she going to die. tried to put it of mind. A couple excruciating by, he almost she something in his voice. quickly dismissed it. The Darius knew was gone. He'd faster she got that through her head, the she could figure out just what the she was going to do now. Acid burned her stomach. It had stupid to someone this much. Sloppy. Maybe what was happening for the best. Hell,
 afraid of me."

"Afraid of you?" DariUs' voice was ScarcEly MorE tHan a WhisPer. "I'm not afraid OF you."

georgia opened her eyes agAin. "YoU'rE Not?"

"NO, geOrgia." her name ROlLED smOoThLy oFf HIs TonguE. "NoT afraid. _furious_."

His WorDs Cut clean to thE BoNe. Georgia rEelEd.

Darius took AnoTher stEp ForWArd. "WhAt yOu did Was stuPId. It waS reckless." he BRought HIs face dOWN tO herS. "And it cost a good woMAn HEr life."

Georgia cHoked. "I DiDN't MEAn fOr tHat to happeN! I Was trYIng to saVE—"

"STOP!" he jERked back like sHe'd burned hiM. "jusT...stop. DOn'T yoU Dare teLl me yOu DId tHis for _me_. JesUs ChRist, would You reaLLy make mE Live witH that?"

GEorGia DropPEd HeR gaZe. dAriUS mUttERed SomethinG uNdEr his BreaTH. a HOle oPenEd up In her Chest. "What did yOu sAy?"

"I sAId tHis waS a misTake."

thE hole WideneD into A cHasm. Georgia's eyeS fleW back to hiS.

HiS eXprEsSion wAS glaciAl. "ALl oF it. Me, yoU, us. It waS A huGe MISTaKe. A costly mistake. AnD I'M NOt Going to mAke it aGAiN."

SHE stared aT hIm, sEarcHED his fAce fOR...sOmething. anythiNG. ANy Trace of ThE warmtH sHe'd SeeN therE BefoRe. It waS no use. AlL she cOUld find now was pAIn, and worse stiLL, a NUMb ACcepTanCe. Her heart sHrivELed.

"I See." SHE dUckED her hEad so He WOuLDn't see the tears sprinG tO her eyEs. "So tHis is it, then. I'lL send you a cHECK for your Time ANd EXpenses." Fuck, she Was goIng to die. ShE Tried to pUt it oUt of her mInd.

A couplE EXcruciatIng SecOndS tiCKEd By, then he spoke. "gEOrgiA."

SHe almosT thOught shE reCogNizEd sOmEthing in hIs voice. SHe QuIcKlY diSmissED it. The DaRiUs sHe KneW was gONe. He'd dIed in That FiRe. tHe fAster shE GoT THat tHrOuGh heR heAd, The faSter SHe cOuld figUre out jusT whAT the FuCk She was gOing to do now.

AcId Burned her sToMacH. It had BEEn stupid To rely on someone this much. sLoppy. MaYbe What wAs haPpening waS foR the beSt. HELl, maybE
 afraid of me."

"Afraid o f you?" Da rius'  vo ice  w as s carc ely more thana  whi sper. "I'm not afraidof yo u. " 

Ge o rg ia op ened he r  e y e s a ga in . " Yo u 'r e not ?"
"No, G eorgia." H erna me rolled sm o ot hly off hi s t ongue. "Notafr aid. _ Fu rio u s_."
Hi s wor ds cut cleanto the bo ne .  Georg i a reele d . 
Dari us took another s t ep forward. "What  you d id wa s stu pid . It was r ec kless . " He br o ug h t his face down tohers. "Andi t c ost ago odw oman h er li fe . "
Georgia cho ked.  "I didn' t mean for tha t  to hap pen! I  wa s t ryin g  t osav e— " 

" S to p!" Hejerked b ac klikeshe' d b u rned  hi m. " Just. ..stop. Don't  yo u da r e t ell m e you  did  t his f or _me _. Je su s Christ, would  you  really m ake  m e l iv e wit h  that? "
Geo rgia dr opped h e r g az e . Da rius muttered some th i n gunder hi s brea t h.  A hole ope ne d u p in h er ch est. "W hat didyou sa y ?" 
"I said  t his wa sa m ist ake." 
The  holewidenedintoa  chasm. Georgi a 's eyes flewb ac k to his. 

H is expressi on w a s gl acia l ."Al l  of i t. Me ,y ou ,  us. It was a hugemi stake.  A co stly mistake.  And I'm n o t going to  mak e  i t  again."

Shestare d at him,s earchedhis f ace for. ..somethi n g . Anythi ng.  An y t rac e of  the warmth s h e 'd s ee n there  be fore. I t w asnouse .All she c ould fin dno wwa s p ain,a nd worse  s til l,  anumba ccepta nce.Herhe ar t  sh riveled . 
" I  see ."  S he d uck ed  herhead sohe woul dn't seethe tear ssp ring to  her eyes. "S othis is it ,the n. I'l l send you  a check for your timea nd expe nse s." F uck,  she wasgoi ng todie .  She t ried t o put  i t o u t  of h e r  m ind .
A couplee x cru ciati ng  sec onds ti cked by, then he s p oke . "Georgia."
Sh e al m o st  th o ug h t s he rec o g nized something  in his vo ic e .She quickl y  di sm issed i t. TheDariu s  she kn ew was go ne. He'ddi ed i n tha t fire. Th e faster  she gott hat t h ro ugh h erhead,th e f aster  she c o uld  figu re out  j ust wh at th efuck she  was going to do now.
Acid b urned  he r stomach . I t  ha d been st upid  to rely o n s ome one t his much.  Slo p py . M a ybe w hatw as happen i ng  wa s fo r the best. H e ll,  mayb e
 afraid_of me."

"Afraid_of you?" Darius' voice_was scarcely_more_than a_whisper._"I'm not afraid_of you."

Georgia opened_her eyes again. "You're_not?"

"No, Georgia." Her_name_rolled smoothly off his tongue. "Not afraid. _Furious_."

His words cut clean to the bone._Georgia_reeled.

Darius took_another_step_forward. "What you did was_stupid. It was reckless." He_brought his_face down to hers. "And it cost a_good_woman her life."

Georgia_choked. "I didn't mean for that to happen! I_was trying to save—"

"Stop!" He jerked_back like she'd_burned_him._"Just...stop. Don't you dare_tell me you did this for__me_. Jesus Christ, would you really_make me live with that?"

Georgia dropped her_gaze. Darius muttered something under his_breath. A hole opened up_in her_chest. "What did you say?"

"I_said this was_a mistake."

The_hole widened into_a chasm. Georgia's eyes flew back_to his.

His expression_was glacial. "All of it. Me,_you,_us. It was_a_huge_mistake. A_costly mistake. And_I'm_not going_to_make it again."

She stared at him,_searched_his face for...something. Anything. Any trace of_the warmth she'd seen_there_before. It was no_use. All she could find_now was pain, and worse still,_a numb_acceptance. Her_heart shriveled.

"I see." She ducked her head so he wouldn't see_the tears spring to her eyes._"So this is it,_then. I'll_send_you a check_for_your time_and expenses." Fuck, she was going to_die. She_tried to put it out of_her mind.

A couple excruciating_seconds_ticked by, then he spoke. "Georgia."

She_almost thought she recognized something in_his voice. She quickly dismissed_it._The_Darius she knew was gone._He'd died in that fire. The_faster she got_that through her head, the faster she_could_figure out just what the fuck_she_was going to do now.

Acid burned_her_stomach._It had been stupid to_rely on someone this much. Sloppy._Maybe what was happening was for the best. Hell,_maybe