But also noted what he was saying seemed specific. He wasn’t just talking vaguely. Someone in particular was behind his words.
Not your business, and you’ve got enough on your plate. He can tell you if he wants. Don’t stick your nose in shit.
The run was good and exactly what I needed. My lion started off not great, but when Gerald’s lion kept it together and made it clear he didn’t care if my lion acted out—completely not even engaging in comparing dick sizes like normal lions—my lion chilled.
He seemed even a bit embarrassed he’d started it. Good. That was what I wanted from my other side. We were better than that, and while I understood he was going through too much… We should be better than that.
I was very,veryglad I got that extra energy out when I arrived home and had an unhappy mate waiting for me.
“So you know,” I hedged, trying to get a read of her.
“I know you were at the prison where I’ve been told Kenneth is, yes,” she said coldly. “And no, I wasn’t spying on you. I did the phone thing you showed me. I was going to see if you were close to the store to get me something I needed since you were runningerrandsand I didn’t want you to go out of your way for one thing.”
That was so sweet even if it bit me in the ass this time. Of course she wouldn’t want me to be inconvenienced to helpherin feeding me.
“I was going to tell you,” I promised.
She froze in her chopping. “I believe that or I would be beyond a bit salty with you. In the future, I hope there would be some sort of communication about these types of things. I don’t believe I’ve shown you that I am unreasonable or—”
“No, not atall, but youhurteven hearing his name, Aurora,” I said quietly. “Just hearing Kenneth’s name makes you flinch.”
And to prove my point, she did. I wasn’t going to say anything, but she nodded, acknowledging that she’d done it.
“Still, I don’t like feeling that we’re not on the same team. You have said over and over again that it is incredibly important to you. We agree it’s important.” She glanced at me quickly, butI saw the anger and hurt. “Imagine how horrible it would have been if I was informed by someone else. Plus, you didn’t take a guard.”
“Yeah, fair,” I sighed as I sat at one of the stools. “More than fair, though I didn’t realize I was taking a guard already. I thought after I was unbound and vulnerable.”
“Then I will get you something to clean out your ears because I specifically saidnowbecause my family will still be a threat against you,” she replied.
And it turned me on. I cleared my throat and tried to keep my head.
But she caught it. Slowly lifting her head from her task and not hiding her surprise. “Truly?”
“Yes,” I admitted, not seeing a reason to deny it. “Call me on my shit, Aurora. Plus, you’re upset because you care about me. All good things, my mate.”
She let out a long, heavy breath and nodded before chopping away. “Good. Yes, good. I felt valid, and—my therapist will be happy that I was able to articulate that and break my molding.”
That made me frown. “Fuck that she’s happy.Yoube happy about it. I am. I’m so proud of you.” I bit back a smile when she blushed. “Do you want to hear about it?”
She was quiet several minutes, leaving me to painfully suffer while watching her move onto other cooking tasks. “Not specifics, but I would like to know why you thought you needed to see my ex-husband. The one you got me free from. I cannot see the logic or need.”
“Fair. More than fair, and my answer isn’t being dismissive, but you’re not a man, Aurora.” I shrugged when she gave me a frustrated look. “I’m being honest. It was petty. It was stupid, and honestly I’m not sure why I went. I…”
Her annoyance melted some. “What, Creed?”
I let out a long breath this time and grabbed a drink from the fridge. “I think I went to see that he didn’t have a hold on me. That… I don’t know.”
“Did you get what you wanted out of it?” she hedged.
I took a long sip but then sighed. “I don’t know. I’m not—he’s not the boogeyman. He’s terrified of me, so that was good.” I gave a half shrug when her mouth fell open. “I’m way more terrifying than him. Just not to you. Never for you.”
“I suppose that—yes, I guess men must measure proverbial penis size.”
I sighed again. She wasn’t wrong and I deserved the jab, but it wasn’t all that accurate either.
Or maybe it was.
Still, I wasn’t going to give her specifics, but I did tell her that I had no plans to go back. That I just needed to see the reality instead of Kenneth Reed through her fear and trauma.
