Ryan's anger flared even more, but there was a hint of something else in his glowing blue eyes—something deeper, almost desperate. He clenched his fists, trying to maintain control, his voice low and dangerous.
"You think you're so smart, huh? You think you can just walk away from this, from *me*, like it's nothing?" Ryan growled, his voice tight with suppressed rage. "You have no idea what you're talking about. You think you're free because you're rejecting me? You're not. You'll never be free, James. Not from this bond, not from what we are."
James's heart raced as Ryan's words hit him, but he didn't let his fear show. He couldn't. He had to stand his ground, no matter what. "You can say whatever you want, but I'm done with this conversation. You think you're intimidating me, but all you're doing is proving my point—you're not someone I want in my life. You're suffocating, controlling, and I don't need that."
