“I still don’t understand,” Wyatt admitted. “It’s too rigid for someone who…” He blinked at the paper and swore. “I’m an idiot.”
“No, we’re all too busy with our own shit too,” Winter grumbled. “And we’re not wired like her.” He shrugged when a few people scoffed. “We’re not. She talked to animals more than people. I can’t even talk to animals. Of course we’re not wired the same. Hell, I’m a man. I don’t see things like she does. Sergey said it perfectly that he needed it put into Sergey.”
“That’s fair,” Tracey admitted, having arrived with several others when Mrs. Reid did. “What are we missing?”
“That too many are still asking too much of her.” I nodded when she snorted. “You are clearly not missing it but maybe the framing.” I focused on Mrs. Reid. “I’ve even heard you and your mate say that Bevin will figure it out and manage to balance it all because that’s what will make her a fine adult and grow into her role.
“She’s saying she’s already grown more than you understand and you’re asking the impossible.” I waved the paper. “And she’sbeen trying to show everyone that. She said it perfectly earlier that it’s sessions, keeping her health up, learning extra magic she’s behind on, brushes, blankets, toys, treats, basics, andschool. It’s always and, and, and,and.”
“I’ve seen this issue and tried to interject,” Jasmine said firmly. “I’ve started pushing back now that I have a better grasp on it all.”
“That’s what you were trying to tell us,” Wyatt sighed. “I thought—I apologize. I thought we were having issues again.”
“No, and—we’ve worked through that, and I’m pleased with how you’re helping Bevin. We’ve said that,” she commented, gesturing between herself and Tracey. “I was being honest that when you add anything else to Bevin’s load, you need to deprioritize something else. She has too much. Her workload—hermental loadis exhausting.”
“Yes, clearly it is,” Mrs. Reid muttered as she took the schedule from me. “And you are right that this is a shield, Mr. Koval. One she shouldn’t have needed, and I feel very small. Owen is right and it’s very easy to forget that she’s only a college freshman.”
I eased down when several people snorted in agreement. “She has every moment of every day booked. It’s not being anal or rigid. She’s shielding herself from anyone elseaddinganything. This is what she sees for her life and where she’s at. We all need to respect that or make sure others do or they don’t need to beinher damn life.”
“Or if it’s something to improve her life, then we adjust what she already has as Mrs. Reid did with the blanket magic,” Wyatt said as he came closer and grabbed the schedule from me. “I’m borrowing this. I have some ideas now that I understand.”
“He makes me swoon for Bevin with how intense and serious he is about her even as he fucking annoys me for being so damn pushy,” Jasmine grumbled, sharing a look with Tracey.
I felt the same, but I wisely kept my mouth shut.
Again.
Link and I also had a talk with Tracey and Taylor off to the side to explain what had happened. Taylor looked like he’d been kicked in the nuts several times and the guilt pouring off of him was ridiculous.
But Tracey wasn’t having any of it, even moving in front of Taylor a bit. “I’m saying this for your own worries because we’re all too overburdened and I can see it in your auras that now you have questions—he has never so much as kissed me without checking first. Taylor doesn’t understand the idea of abusing a woman. It’s not in his fucking vocabulary.
“It’s just not. He’s not dismissive with me even, which is fucking rare. Ienjoya bit of over the top given how much stress has been on my shoulders and for so long. He understands that and we’ve discussed it. Clearly, we should have handled that with our familiars. I thought Woodchuck understood, but—this isn’t my normal. I apologize you were involved.”
“I knew you wouldn’t ever, Taylor,” Link said to the warlock. “I knew that. At worst, it was maybe a miscommunication of something maybe Tracey didn’t want to risk upsetting you telling you given how things are. Bevin’s head was kind of there too—she was fixated on Tracey’s wrists being hurt and she couldn’t have gotten away.”
I swallowed a chuckle when they both flinched. “Cuffs gone wrong?”
“Something like that, but fun was had,” Tracey purred. “I’ll straighten it out with Bev.” Then she frowned. “I can’t believe she didn’t just come to me.”
“She’s not wrong in her worry, Tracey,” I said gently. “You would do much worse than allow yourself to be abused if it helped Bev. She knows that.”
She didn’t even deny it, shocking Link and Taylor.
But then Taylor gave her a few glances that she would clearly have some explaining to do later.
She simply snorted. “I told you my priorities before you ever touched me, handsome. Don’t go getting affronted on me now.” She turned to leave, but Taylor was quicker, pulling a smooth move that I wanted to learn and half sidestepping around and along with her while spinning her the other way.
“Knowing Bevin was your priority along with the company above all else isn’t the same as you being willing to endureabuseto help her, Tracey,” Taylor argued. “My family and my people are my priority always, but they would never—”
“She would never ask that of me either,” Tracey snapped, pushing at his chest. “But I am all she has. Yeah, I’ll take abuse or all the bullets meant for her. The world needs her. I’m just—”
“Just as fucking needed,” Taylor yelled. “You are just as vital to keeping things going that help our world.” He took in a breath when she flinched and let her go before slowly letting out the breath. He cupped her cheek. “You aren’t alone in this anymore. You need to deal with your PTSD as much as my people do. Except they know they have it. I don’t think you do.”
And then he stormed off.
“Damn. You and Bev really are sisters,” I whispered as I watched him go. I snorted when Tracey seemed confused. “Oh yeah, intense and serious about you but overbearing and pushy. Right, where did we just see that?”
She slowly blinked at me before sighing and looking after where Taylor had gone. “Fine, yes, but at least I got the hot one, not the one I would break like a twig.”
