I almost missed it, but I knew him too well. I looked at him with a straight face. And he looked at me with seemingly innocent eyes. I twisted my lips and looked back at him. Then his smile grew as he returned my stare. I tilted my head, continuing the stare off.
He then laughed before giving me a playful poke. “I was joking.”
I huffed. “You aren’t funny.”
Theodore slapped him on the thigh. “This is no laughing matter, son.”
Aaron shook his head, giving Ivan a disapproving look. “You’re awful.”
Ivan raised his hands in surrender. “Sorry, sorry. How’d you know I was lying?”
I rolled my eyes. “Because you have a tell.”
“What is it?”
He had a playful glint in his eyes he could never hide from me. However, I wasn’t going to tell him how I knew. I'd save that in my back pocket. I shrugged. “I’m not saying. Anyway,” I stood up. “Maybe we should call it a night. I think you need to get your rest. You may tell unfunny jokes, but I’m still worried about you.”
The doctor nodded. “I agree with her. You need your rest. Sorry to cut your party short. And I’m serious about you being monitored, Ivan. No strenuous activity of any kind tonight. Sorry, newlyweds.”
Ivan grumbled, and I sighed. “Understood, doctor.”
Theodore stood up. “Well, let’s go, son. We’re staying at an inn not too far from here. I can watch you there.”
I couldn’t fathom how Ivan’s father thought that he was in the best position to take care of Ivan. I could remotely understand him wanting to stay with us but to pull him away from my place, which was where Ivan and I agreed to take up residency together for the time being, seemed vindictive.
I raised a brow and opened my mouth to protest; however, Ivan raised a hand. “I’m going with my wife, Father. She’s more than capable of watching over me. Aren’t you, love?”
He blinked at me with his familiar, cocky grin. As if I would say no. “Of course, dear husband.” I glanced over to Theodore, who stared at us with a scowl. He really didn’t like me with his son. “You’re more than welcome to stay with us tonight.”
He silently considered us for a moment, then looked to the doctor and Aaron, who returned his stares with uncomfortable looks. It was safe to say that others were seeing that there was no love lost between us.
Theodore huffed, looking away from everyone in defeat. “Fine.” He pointed at me. “Take good care of my son. I’ll be by tomorrow morning.” He leaned down and kissed Ivan on the top of his head, patted Aaron on the shoulder, shook the doctor’s hand, and gave me a curt nod before leaving. I was really feeling the love.
Ivan got to his feet and waved us off when we tried to help him. “I’m going to rest, but then we’re going to find out what asshole did this.” He looked to me, his emerald eyes growing dark, no longer in their dragon form. “You could have walked throughthat door before me. You almost did. I don’t know what I would have done if you got hurt.”
My heart felt as if it did a little squeeze at his concern, and I fought to ignore it. I could care about him, but I couldn’t fall for him again. There was still too much against us. Especially with this attack. I needed to focus on getting through this deal and keeping him safe. I cleared my throat. “Well, I’m fine, so you don’t have to worry about that. And I’m going to take good care of you.”
It was the least I could do. But I didn’t like that way-too-happy look on his face. I already knew he was going to make the whole not falling back in love thing difficult for me.
***
Ivan actually was tired because he went right to sleep when we got to my place. I had originally agreed to give him my room, and I would stay in my spare nesting room. However, I was anxious about his injury, and we stayed in the same bed that night on opposite sides. Although, in the middle of the night, he had scooted closer and thrown an arm over my waist. I didn’t mind, although I wanted to be bothered. It would be easier for me not to feel so good in his arms. Instead, I found myself nestling in the heat of his body and the crispness of his scent. How do you not fall in love with someone you actually adore?
The next few days, Ivan still seemed a little off, becoming forgetful of small memories of our past together. He would start a conversation about something mundane from our past and then get lost midway through the sentence. This only happened a couple of times, so I wasn’t concerned. Also, it had been three years since our most recent memories, so I didn’t blame him. Nor was I was going to let him know if it did bother me. To do so would only encourage him to think there was achance of reconciliation. He had every right to forget, and when this marriage dissolved, we would go our separate ways and wouldn’t need those memories. Or the family drama. Assuming we survived this marriage.
With no news on who could have been behind the attack ward, despite interviewing everyone in the building, my guilt and paranoia was only heightened. Ivan wouldn’t have been in this state if it wasn’t for my foolishness.
Ivan’s voice sounded from the distance. I was currently closed off in my nesting room, exhausted and achy. I would have to go to work in a few hours, but my joints were on fire, and I could barely move. I was hoping being burrowed amongst my pillows and blankets and scents would help. As an omega, we were prone to nesting much like a bird. I’d carefully picked pillows of various sizes and textures, along with a mix of blankets made of different fabrics. The room was small and a large, low bed took up most of the space. Tiny orb lights strung together connected all four corners of the room, giving an intimate lighting, along with calming blue orbs on either side of the bed in front of windows covered behind white drapes. I’d also painted the ceiling to make it look like the sky.
I snuggled beneath a blanket, pulling it up to my neck. “Come in.”
Ivan opened the door and paused, looking around with an appreciative nod of his head. “You always made a nice nesting room. You feeling okay, Sunshine?”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m hardly the cheerful type. I can’t remember why you call me that.”
“I don’t remember either.” He shrugged and walked over to the bed. “But let’s just say it’s because every time I see you, you bring brightness to my day.”
“I don’t believe that.”
