Page 22 of Oath

Yes.

Yes, I would.

I sucked my upper lip between my teeth as he searched my gaze.

“We will help you, but you have to train. I need you to know everything you can do to protect yourself.”

“Except the kissing thing as a distraction?”

“You may kiss him if you wish,” he offered, almost magnanimously. “I will kill him slowly and feed him his own intestines however.”

God, that made me feel—good. Maybe I really was fucked up. “So, maybe a different plan?”

“If you’d like…”

“Bones?”

He just raised his brows.

“Why haven’t you ever kissed me?”

“Because I’m not good enough for you. None of us are.” That wasnotthe answer I expected.

I frowned. “Shouldn’t I get to decide that?”

“No,” he said, not even seeming to hesitate. “We’re all damaged, Grace. All of us. Some of us just hide it better. You deserve better, a lot better.”

Then, paradoxically, he brushed his lips against mine.

“You confuse me.”

That netted me a real smile. “Good. The feeling is mutual.”

Chapter

Seven

GRACE

“Good,”he’d said with a real smile.“The feeling is mutual.”

After my utter breakdown in the gym, Bones had me wash my face, drink some water, then we started again. The next two hours had left me limp as a dishrag with spaghetti muscles, sweat soaked hair, body odor that wasn’t remotely pleasant, and a nagging headache.

“Go shower. We’ll have food after.” He’d given my shoulder a squeeze before he’d gestured to the door.

Frankly, I was too damn tired to argue with him which might have been a first. I even ditched the heels on my way back through the house semi-aware that Bones followed.

“Hey…” Alphabet straightened from where he leaned against the breakfast bar across from where Legend was cooking. Legend frowned, worry flickering across his expression as he stared at me then turning almost thunderous as he glanced past me.

“Hey,” I managed to say with a little wave. “Don’t let my appearance fool you. I totally managed to kick his pinky toe there at the end.”

It took all my training and experience to not grimace at the stairs. My quads screamed with each step as I made my way up, but I didn’t stumble. Not once.

“What the fuck…” came Alphabet’s half-growled imprecation.

As tempting as it was to turn around and look at them, I didn’t. Because I wasn’t entirely sure I wouldn’t collapse. Particularly since I seemed to be leaning in the direction I faced. If I glanced back, I had the sad realization I might fall face first down the damn stairs.

Voodoo had a phone to his ear where he stood in the center of a bedroom as I passed. At his frown, I lifted a hand to wave at him in passing. Pretty sure it came off more like a swipe of “hey” rather than the bouncier, more upbeat waggly fingers of “hello.”