I kept coming back to that, like a scratched record. We couldn’t have, could we? Because he still loved me, I knew he did – and I loved him so completely that the thought of not being with him was like not having air to breathe. Surely he’d calm down by tomorrow and see how unfair he was being. Wouldn’t he? I’d go downstairs and his eyes would meet mine – I’d see the apology in them, and we’d slip off somewhere alone together and he’d hold me and say, I’m so sorry, of course I trust you, forget every word I said.

I stared at the ceiling with its uneven plaster, taking in the shadows cast by every lump and bump. It was a nice fantasy, but I had a feeling that’s all it was. I’d never seen Alex so angry. It wasn’t like I didn’t understand why. I knew I wouldn’t be thrilled if he’d told me that he and Kara shared a psychic bond. Understatement. The thought would probably gnaw at me day and night, and that’s with me being psychic and able to tell whether anything else was going on. Alex couldn’t do that – I could hardly blame him for being upset.

No...but I could blame him for not trusting me. For so obviously thinking I had a thing for Seb, and that it was only the fact he and I were together that was keeping me from disappearing off into the sunset with him.

Seb. I swallowed as I lay there. Somewhere in the back of my mind I was aware of how badly I wanted to psychically seek him out. He had to be aware that Alex and I had fought, and I knew how concerned he’d be; he’d want to know I was okay. Almost without realizing it, I started to reach out to him – and then stopped, my cheeks catching fire as I heard Alex say, So if you thought about Seb right now, in the shower... Oh, god. There was no way now I could ever feel comfortable again about what had seemed such a natural thing – something that, for all I knew, was a natural thing between half-angels; just an extension of our friendship. Feeling completely and miserably alone, I pressed my face against the pillow.

There was a soft knock at the door.

I sat up, my heart pounding. I knew instantly that it was Seb, and I hated the relief that rushed through me; it seemed to validate every accusation Alex had flung at me. But I couldn’t help it – I really needed someone right then, and I should have known Seb would sense it, and that he’d be here. That nothing would keep him away.