An icy wind hits us, blowing me out of the past and into my shivering body. Guess that fever is gone.
Alric takes off his jacket and gently places it on my shoulders. I’d fight him on it, but I know that would annoy him.
Maybe one little piece of honesty.
“I only see clients for one year. Well, technically, eleven months and around two weeks. That’s as long as I can push things before they start expecting to share my heat. I’ve been on heat suppressant for six years. I’m only about to have one now because my doctor refuses to let me postpone it any longer.”
“It’s not safe for your body to be on that many hormones for so long.”
“Yeah, that’s what everyone keeps telling me. I didn’t break things off with you because I didn’t like you or because you weren’t a good client, the clock simply ran out. There has to be some cutoff. Anything longer and clients thinkour relationship is more than it is. They start wanting bondmarks and babies after that kind of investment in time and money. It’s more than I can give them. I don’t expect anyone to understand why I don’t want to pack, but they do need to respect it.”
We stand in silence. This isn’t a topic I’m willing to discuss anymore. If he has more to say, he’ll have to keep it to himself for now.
“Is this your family cemetery?” I ask.
He slowly blinks and looks around as if being reminded that he’s here. “Yes, generations of my family have been buried here, but most importantly, this is my mother’s final resting place.” He turns to face marble surrounded by grass and tiny flowers.
“What was her name?”
“Eleni Petridis.”
Since he doesn’t want to hear the wordsI’m sorry, I say instead, “I know the pain of losing a mom.” I slide my hand into his.
The rain starts and he sighs, squeezing my hand tighter. “Go back inside where it’s warm. I’m going to start dinner soon, but I think I’ll stay here for a little while.”
I can’t tell if he’s sending me away because he doesn’t want me out in the cold, or if he actually wants to be alone.
“Do you want me to go?”
“No,” he says simply, staring down at his mother’s memorial.
So I stay.
Chapter 16
Alric
Ipull the skewers off the heat, letting them rest on a plate, and pour what I hadn’t used for marinade into four ramekins as a dipping sauce. The steaming orzo had been toasted with oregano, dill, and lemon zest, and drizzled with olive oil.
Madeline sticks her finger into one of the ramekins to give her approval of the sauce. She licks her lips with a delicious smile. “Tastes amazing!”
If it were anyone else I would’ve said,I know. It’s my mother’s recipe. But with her, I just say, “Thank you.”
My coat still engulfs her, and I can’t wait to slip it on again. Her vanilla mixed with my chocolate, her blackberries fused with oranges clinging to the fabric.
Madeline takes the plates I’ve set down for the table.
“That’s Hunter’s job.”
She rolls her eyes. “While I do love the pampered princess shit, you have to let me dosomething.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, honey. I actually don’t have to do anything.”
She dramatically takes the plates anyway, defiant as ever, but she’s smiling, and I can take my first real breath since I first saw her on the patio. She’s here with us, engaging with us, choosing to spend time with us. I was terrified she was going to spend the whole week locked in her room, hating me, envisioning the worst possible ending. When she agreed we could be some sort of fucked-up version of a pack this week, I knew we had a tiny sliver of hope, and now that vision doesn’t seem so far away. She still doesn’t want us forever, but if she wants us now, that’s something we can work with.
I’m desperate to beg her to stay while simultaneously spanking her for leaving me.
“Will you go let the guys know dinner is ready?”
