Right?
The alcohol was making my thoughts fuzzy.
“I was just coming to get some more clothes,” he said, scratching the back of his head. My eyes caught on his muscles as they flexed, and Daze shifted his gaze away to observe the trailer.
“It looks good in here,” he said before glancing back in my direction. “Did you clean?”
I nodded.
He took a few steps into the space, and his eyes landed on the torn back of the couch. “How’d that happen?”
I clenched my jaw. I didn’t know how to explain everything to him. Hell, I didn’t even know how to wrap my mind around it exactly.
Reluctantly, I signed,“Accident.”
“Right.” His eyes shifted again, this time to the opposite wall. “And the blinds?”
“Accident.”
He didn’t look like he believed me. “Night, did youaccidentallydestroy the trailer and clean it to cover it up?”
As much as I hated to admit it, Daze knew me better than I knew myself sometimes. There was no point in lying to him.
What was the worst that could happen if I was honest?
“Yes.”
He dragged a hand over his face and took a deep breath.
“Are you okay?” he asked, meeting my eyes intently.
I took another sip of bourbon to buy me a few seconds.Am I okay?Probably not, but it didn't matter. He couldn't help me in any real capacity. He couldn't fix my problem.
“I'm fine.”
Still, he didn't look like he believed me. He stepped over to the wall and flipped on the light switch. The bulbs overhead flickered to life, and I winced at the assault. It took a few secondsfor my eyes to adjust, and when they finally focused, Daze was staring at me.
“You know I worry about you,” he said, his jaw flexing. “I just want to make sure that… Night, what the fuck is that?” His eyes had fallen to my shoulder.
I froze, and it felt like all the air had been sucked out of the trailer at once.
Reflexively, I raised my hand to brush over the semi-healed mate bond. Revel’s bond. It thrummed with energy, and I could feel Revel’s aura coming through. It was faint, barely more than a whisper, but it was there. Dark, calm. Maybe he was already in bed. Hopefully he was sleeping. If he could sense the fear and panic lighting up my system right now, he might come running.
Daze took another step closer, squinting like he was trying to see something other than what was really there.
“Is that a fuckingmate bond?” His eyes shot to mine, wide and full of confusion.
I silently scolded myself. Why hadn’t I thought to wear a fucking shirt?
It wasn’t like I was keeping a secret from Daze, and it wasn’t like Revel and I were actually mated. But I knew explaining it wouldn’t be easy.
“Sit,” I signed and gestured at the chair across from me.
Daze didn’t move, standing frozen just a few feet away. The hurt in his eyes was undeniable.
My heart lurched when his bottom lip wobbled.
Fuck.
