Page 91 of Burning Ember

Oh, shit.I forgot why I came up here in the first place.

“Yes. But they sent me up here.” She gives me a bewildered expression. “The old ladies wanna meet you.”

She wraps one arm around her stomach and holds onto it with her other hand over her elbow. “Is that a good idea?”

I wish I could tell her yes, or not to be nervous, but the fact is she probably should be prepared and no . . . it’s not a good idea. I sigh and rub my head a couple of times. “Probably not. But they aren’t askin’, if you know what I mean.”

She considers me for a minute, and then nods. “Okay. Just let me put on a different top.” She walks passed me into the closet and a moment later comes out wearing jean shorts, and a soft pink long sleeve shirt. I’m confused for a second. She has to know it’s hot outside. Why the long sleeves?

It’s not until I see her tug the fabric down over her wrists that it dawns on me.

She comes closer and I grab her hands. Like I did the first day we met, I rub the scars on her wrists with my thumb. She tries to jerk her hands back, but I hold on tighter. The scars are jagged and uneven, one worse than the other. I don’t believe she tried to kill herself. But it scares me that there’s the chance I’m wrong.

“How?”

She huffs.

“Doll, I’m trying to not to be an asshole or jump to conclusions. I’m tryin’ to get to know you. Tell me how you got the scars.”

“Maybe you don’t deserve to know.”

“No doubt I don’t. But I’m askin’ anyway.”

She’s scowls.

“I’ll wait all damn day if that’s what it takes. But too much longer and they’re gonna send a search party for us.”

After a few seconds of testing my resolve, her stubbornness falters. “It was the only way I could get away from my ex.” I furrow my brow. She lets out a long breath and explains, “He liked having control, too. He didn’t want me to leave. Sounds familiar, huh?”

Yeah, Doll. Sounds familiar. But you’re still not going anywhere.

“I hurt myself on some metal while trying to get away.”

I sense there is a lot more to the story than she’s telling me, but I think I’ve pushed her enough for now.

She’s giving me a guarded look, as if she’s waiting for me to judge her. But she doesn’t realize I’m finally seeing her for who she is. She doesn’t have a black heart. If she lefthim, she had a good reason to. And she doesn’t know this, but I’ve seen her other scars. I’ve seen the damage someone’s done. Most likely him.

“Knowin’ you, Doll, he deserved that and more.”

She frowns. “I think you need medication for your multiple personality disorder.”

I can’t help it. I laugh, “I love the shit that comes outta that mouth.”

“I thought you didn’t?”

I smile down at her. “I lied.”

With that being said, I pull her behind me toward the door. We walk out of Dozer’s room and head downstairs. She’s pulling back a little the whole way. Fighting my grip on her. She doesn’t want to do this, but neither of us has much of a choice.

I love her fight. I love her sassy mouth. I love that she’s not going to make this easy on me. I want to chase her. It’ll make possessing her and claiming her that much more of an achievement.

And I’ve always been an overachiever.

Today was definitely not the best day to quit smoking. I seriously could use one right now to chill my ass out.

I’m a ball of anxiety as I watch Doll interact with the old ladies and kids. I keep waiting for them to turn on her, maybe even slap her, because that shit’s happened before, but so far, they’re on their best behavior. Nick probably warned them to be before she left. Grandma Pepper was tired, so Nick ran her to her and Cap’s house, but she’ll be back.

As I watch Doll interact with the kids, the ache in my chest cracks wider. I rub at it, but the damn thing won’t go away.