Page 194 of The Curse Trilogy

Tears brim her eyes instantly, and then she shakes her head.

“You should have had a dad, but it might have a good thing didn’t, Araya. You belonged somewhere that way. I don’t.”

“What do you mean?” I ask with bemusement. “Everyone loves you.”

She rolls her eyes before pulling her knees to her chest.

“You sound like my dad now. No one loves me, everyone just respects the captain too much to say what they feel. The hybrids don’t consider me a forgotten, so they treat me like I’m an outsider even though I’m just like them. The full bloods don’t accept me as their own either. Everyone talks to me, but no one really cares about me. The only reason anyone showed up to my party was because I was the captain’s daughter. Now… Now it’s all the worse.”

“Is that why you’re mad at your dad?”

“No. I don’t want to talk about that,” she barks.

I nod gingerly, and then I pat her on the back.

“You’re wrong about no one caring about you. I care, Grayson cares, Brazen cares, and Nicholas does too. You’re not a forgotten, but you’re still hybrid - a gifted hybrid. You belong to an elite group where you’ll never feel like such an outsider again,” I murmur encouragingly, and a few tears of gratitude and unjustifiable guilt whelp up in her eyes.

“Thank you, Araya.”

“Go see Grayson. Let him hold you. You’d be surprised how much he can relieve your mind just by touch. You don’t have to talk about it. Just let him feel like he hasn’t lost you, an in turn, you might find the comfort you know you need.”

I stand up, and then start walking away from the girl I thought had it so much better than me. I suppose every hybrid struggles whether they have parents or not. I sprint back up to the room where I know Brazen is packing. We’ve been back for five minutes, and he already has a new detail to tend to. I’m just glad Hale isn’t here anymore to confuse my already scattered mind.

His teasing episode in the elevator fucked with my head far too much, and I don’t understand his fucked up hot-and-cold nature. It’s as if he wants me, but he doesn’t want me to know. It’s like he can’t stay away, but he doesn’t want me close. It’s so frigging frustrating, and I’m sick of dealing with it.

I turn the door to the apartment just as Brazen zips up his bag. His beautiful smile is captivating, and his lips rush mine before I can speak.

“I love you, baby. I’m going to miss you while I’m gone.”

I pout playfully, and he smiles as he kisses my puckered lips.

“At least it’s only for a couple of days,” I sigh out.

“Call me if you need me. I don’t have to turn my phone off this time,” he says while twitching his new phone in front of my face.

I smirk as he tugs at my hand, and I make my begrudged exit beside him to walk him to his car.

“You can call me too,” I murmur softly.

“I will, baby,” he coos, and he spins me around while still walking in order to kiss me a little more passionately.

I feel the wind hitting my back as we walk out, and then I finally break free from the lingering passion and turn back around to walk forwards.

“Why do kids fight with parents?” I ask curiously as thoughts of Angelica and Nicholas brush through my mind.

He shrugs indifferently. “Too many reasons. It’s a complicated relationship - kids and parents. Angelica will get over her conflict with Nicholas eventually though.”

I sigh at the lack of insight he has offered, and he tilts my face up after he tosses his bag in one of his other cars. It’s similar to the one we exploded in, and the shiver-worthy memories drench me in chills. I turn away from the memory evoker, and my eyes fall back into the soft pale ones promising to love me forever.

“I do want to marry you, Araya. I don’t want to push you, but I want you to at least consider it while I’m gone. We had a hiccup in my opinion. I never considered it a breakup even though you and Hale resumed your relationship. I made a mistake, and I swear I’ll never forgive myself for it, but I hope you do. I love you more than anything, and I want to know I’ve got you to come home to for the rest of our lives.”

I smile lightly, unsure of what to say while my heart and mind argue. His hands slide down to the small of my back to pull me tightly to his body.

“I’ll think about it,” I mumble, my mind winning the war.

His soft lips press against mine, and then he pulls back to release a shaky but content breath.

“You’re my girl. You always will be. I think it would be a good idea to find out your life span since Clay is already experimenting on your blood. I want to know how much longer you have left so I can find a way to extend that time.”