"Go," I tell her, and she makes a little chuffing sound of disappointment before following Aurora outside.
I watch them both vanish down the pathway to the pool deck and turn to roughly scrub my hands under the faucet until it hurts.
She hasn't said it, but I get the feeling she doesn't like me around Ellie anymore, either.
I know that asshole ex of hers was a loose cannon, and I know he hurt Ellie. So I get it. But understanding why doesn't make it sting any less.
As if I'deverhurt a dog. Especially Ellie.
"Damn," I curse, realizing I've scrubbed so hard I broke open one of the gnarly blisters in my palm. I hold it under the stream of water to wash it clean with a grimace, but I like the sting. It reminds me I haven't become the ghost Aurora has made me. As long as I'm still here, there's a chance I can fix what I broke, and I think I might have an idea.
It could completely backfire.
But I’m out of safe options.
2
FETCH
AURORA
The sunlight is pure bliss against my skin, and I let it burn away the dark thoughts before they can ruin my mood.
Butfuckthose steaks looked good…
Maybe if I just?—
Nope. Not going there.
I set my towel and snacks on a lounger next to the pool. Elijah is already swimming laps up and down the length of it and I watch as the scars on his back stretch with every lithe stroke of his arms.
Seven lazes at the side of the pool with one leg hanging into the water. His clear blue eyes rake over me as I shimmy out of my shorts and toss them onto the lounger, joining him at the pool's edge.
"Hey you."
"Hey yourself," I reply, dipping my feet into the water as I sit next to him. "It's so warm."
"Had Eli crank it," Seven explains. "It's practically a hot tub."
"Ugh." I sigh as I shift to let my legs sink deeper and shiver. "Can we keep it like this every day?"
He snakes an arm around my waist and hauls me against him. "If it'll keep that smile on your face."
I melt against his sun-warmed skin. The ink over his bare chest and arms must absorb more of the heat because he's absolutely scorching.
He smells like leather and spice and sunshine and I lean my temple on his shoulder as Elijah comes up for air and notices us watching him.
"Hey, Angel."
He swims over to us, curling his hands around my calves beneath the water in a way that makes my skin tingle with anticipation. He presses a kiss to the spot beside my knee on my inner thigh and lifts a wicked brow at my reaction. "Sleep well?"
"What do you think?" I tease, and he gives me a knowing look before biting the inside of my thigh playfully, making me yelp before he pushes off from the wall of the pool and dives under for another round of laps.
After Elijah coaxed me into three orgasms last night, I slept better than I have in days.
"It's been years since I've seen him this happy," Seven murmurs against my temple, and something I don't have a name for yet swells in my chest.
When I turn to look at him, the angle of the sun catches on his eyes, turning them a clear, bright blue, like shards of broken glass.
