Page 45 of The Curse Trilogy

“This is torture,” I grumble, and I stare down at the ring that is supposed to mean I belong to Brazen.

“No. Torture is having the woman you love go super-hot-wild-girl on you, and then revert back into the standoffish creature you lost,” he sighs.

I feel like a piece of shit now.

“I’m sorry. I can just go sleep on the couch.”

I start to get up, but he pulls my hand in his and forces me to return to his side.

“I’m not letting you out of my sight until I know you’re okay,” he says so genuinely sincere.

“I’m not staying in here. You’ll try to fuck me, and if I let you, I’ll hate myself all the more,” I grouse.

“I’m not going to try anything at all. Tell me what Brazen did to set you off the first time,” he says gently, and he pulls me into an embrace that radiates fire between us.

“He didn’t do anything besides flip the fuck out, and he had every right to. It was his words that crossed a line, and I don’t want to discuss that with you.”

“Okay. Sorry. I wasn’t trying to stir you up,” he murmurs softly while kissing my forehead.

“Don’t do that. If anyone has ever understood me, it has been you. Don’t start saying whatever you can to bring me down before I get too worked up,” I gripe.

He sighs out, and then stands to his feet to walk into the bathroom. I hear the water running in the shower, and then he reemerges to come claim me from the bed.

“You need a shower,” he murmurs with a menacing smirk.

I stifle my grin, and then I roll my eyes. “You’re not coming in with me.”

“Wasn’t planning on it,” he says with a snicker. “I told you I’m not trying to fuck you tonight,” he says over his shoulder while disappearing from the room.

I grin foolishly, and then tears stain my eyes as all the horrible few days scroll through my mind. First Brazen nearly dies, Javeline gets leveled, we get attacked, and then this shit with Brazen just ices the morbid cake. Not to mention, I went devolved Araya on them. Sheesh. I need more than a shower. I need a whole damn liquor cabinet.

I tiptoe into the bathroom, feeling dirtier than the water can ever cleanse me of. The hot shower rushes over my skin, and the red runs free from me as the warmth washes it away. The stained outlines of the dried pools stubbornly try to cling to me after having set up for too long. My hair drips down my back as the water relaxes it to be less stiff and more flexible, and then the steam rises to clear my head somewhat.

“I’m putting your towel on the rack, babe,” Hale says when I hear the door open.

“Thanks,” I murmur graciously, and then I poke my head out before he walks out the door. “And thank you for everything else too.”

He turns to look at me with a soft smile on his face and those secretive eyes that are begging to tell me so much.

“You know I’d do anything for you,” he mutters gently, and then he closes the door behind him.

He can do everything but tell me the truth about whatever he’s hiding. What could it possibly be that he doesn’t want me to know? Why does it fucking matter?

I was so sure I was finally over him, but now that I’ve spent so much time with him, I know I’m not. I can’t do it all over again though. He’d break me again if I fell back into his trap once more.

I turn the water off, and realize I have nothing to wear. The shirt of his I had been wearing was his to begin with, and it’s still slightly stained from the wet blood that had been on my body.

I timidly wrap the towel around me, and I walk back into the bedroom to see that a new shirt has been laid out for me to wear. I smile at the thoughtful gesture, and then I smell food cooking on the other side of the door.

I button up the white, sleek shirt that feels like heaven was made into a fabric, and then I towel dry my hair the best I can before joining the wonderful scent.

“You’re cooking?” I chuckle out when I see him dumping an omelet onto a plate.

“You sound so surprised,” he scoffs playfully.

“I spent five years with you, and you couldn’t even use a can opener. Yes, I’m surprised,” I giggle out.

He smirks a little, and then he motions for me to join him at the bar.