Page 29 of House of Blood and Roses: Vol. 2

The door opens and a servant comes in with a tray laden with jugs. It doesn't take a genius to guess what's in one of them.

"I..."

"It's all right, you don't have to explain," I say. No doubt the situation with Bastian has made him want a drink. I don't blame him for it, I could use one myself.

"It's not for me," he blurts out. "I ran into Marcus when I came home, and he's coming to join me."

"Oh."

"It's not for me," he repeats, breathing a sigh of relief. "I didn't even order it."

"I believe you," I say softly. "I can go if you want to talk to Marcus." I wave vaguely back at the door but don't actually move.

Linc reaches for my hand before I can even move. "Stay? Please."

I nod and step closer.

"I'd never have suggested a drink to Marcus if I'd known you were coming," he jokes.

"I wanted to make sure that everything was all right between us."

"Of course it is," he promises.

"Bastian was out of line." My voice shakes as I say the words, realising I've never actually said anything like that to anyone before, even if I've thought it.

"I know that," Linc assures me, his hand slips further down my arm and I wince. "Are you hurt?" Concern fills his voice.

"It's fine."

"It isn't. Sit down." He directs me over to one of the chairs and disappears for a moment.

I look around the room, surprised at how comfortable it feels. I suppose I thought that because Linc spent so much time in the private room in the library, his home must feel uninviting, but that's far from the truth. Bookshelves line one of the walls, and a warm glow comes from the fire. A chair and an inviting-looking chaise sit on either side of a low table, which has three open books strewn over it. A small smile comes to my face as I realise that it's so Linc to have multiple places to sit and read. He seems perfectly at home here.

He re-enters the room with a basin of water and a cloth, going down onto his knees in front of me and pushing back my sleeve. I grimace as my bracelet catches against the spot it cut earlier.

"Ah," he says.

"It was an accident," I murmur.

He looks up at me, his eyes full of pain. "How often do accidents happen?"

"Not often," I respond quickly. "If I hadn't been wearing the bracelet..."

"It doesn't matter what you were or weren't wearing," Linc says firmly. His fingers brush against my skin as he undoes the clasp and pulls the jewelled band away. "He shouldn't have grabbed you like that."

I swallow hard, tears stirring in the corner of my eyes. "He didn't mean to."

Linc doesn't say anything as he dabs the cloth and cleans the cut on my arm. It isn't deep, so this probably isn't necessary, but I like being cared for by him.

"I wanted to come after you sooner," I say softly. "I'm sorry I didn't."

He looks up, meeting my gaze. "I know."

"How?"

"I know you, Bea. Maybe not as well as Bastian..."

I cut him off with a short laugh. "I think it's safe to say that you probably do know me better than Bastian. I'm not convinced he actually knows me at all. He just has this image of me in his head that's not really me."