My stomach winds, tightening into a fine knot, the tighter Sirius holds onto my hand. His fingers lace with mine, and I wince when he cracks one of my knuckles in his grip.
“Sirius,” I whine. “You’re hurting me.”
Sirius’s grip loosens slightly but his grip remains firm. Alston moves in closer to me, his hand wraps around my bicep and his other rests on the curve of my waist, “I said let her go.”
“No.” Sirius sneers, aimed squarely at Alston. It makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up at attention. Sirius grinds his teeth, causing him to click his jaw methodically. This side of Sirius makes my knees weak, and anxiety shoots up my spine.
“Alston,” I whisper, my eyes pleading him to stop, but he refuses to make eye contact with me. I look back at Sirius, willing him to look at me
