“You shouldn't go through with it,” Siris finally whispered, letting the whiskey burn soothe his nerves.
Bellatrix turned to him, her expression puzzled beneath her veil. “Give me one logical reason.”
“You’ve infected my soul, Bells. I would rather die than watch him have you the way I need you.”
Her cherry-stained lips parted slightly, her freshly curled eyelashes fluttering at his radical transparency. “You don't get to say that to me.”
“I had no choice,” he murmured, his gaze lingering on her lips as he swallowed hard. “It’s like my heart is about to plunge into my stomach—like…” He hesitated, gripping his hand tight as a wave of discomfort washed over him. “My lungs are tightening, and my chest feels like it’s caving in just seeing you like this in front of me.”
Bella's cheek twitched at the sight of his visible pain—she wanted to throw herself at him and ease his sorrow, smoothing out any sadness that was wreaking havoc on his body.
“What am I supposed to do?” She looked into his chocolate-fudge eyes, her fingers tracing their way to his thigh. “How can you bring this up now when you had every day before this to tell me, to plead your case?”
“Because I am a foolish man with a bleeding heart who can no longer bear to glance at the knife that lies between us.” He leaned back, exposing his Adam’s apple as his eyes met hers again.
“The knife will always be there; whether or not I look at it, I can still feel it, Sirius.” She kept her voice calm, even, and low, even as her insides trembled, hanging on every word he spoke.
He leaned in closer, shifting his body until his hip brushed against hers. “Ignore it,” he said softly through her veil, his nose pushing against the fabric as he pressed his forehead to hers. “If we can't move it, just pretend it's not there.”
She closed her eyes, the warmth of his skin penetrating the exterior of her heart. “I thought we agreed not to stab each other anymore.”
He lifted his head slightly, letting his lips brush against her face, her wedding cloak the only barrier between them. “Let it stab me; I’ll take the hit. I'll be the one to bleed.”
“Are you demanding me?” She asked, biting her lip while keeping her eyes shut.
“I'm begging.”