That had been pretty much impossible though. Supes could smell the power on other supes. It was like an evolutionary warning system that quickly told you who the biggest predator in the room was.
In most rooms, it was me.
I didn’t care about stuff like that. I never had. I just wanted to live my life and have fun. Not get caught up in dick-measuring contests with other immortals.
Gareth had cared. Maybe that was why he’d felt the need to cut me down so much. It gave him the power over me that he desperately craved.
I’d been a moron to stay with him for so long. These past few weeks with Lochlan had reinforced that.
“If you’re not worried about it, why were you tensing up whenever he sent you a message? Why didn’t you tell me about it?”
“I was embarrassed,” I ducked my head down. “The more time I spent with you, the more I realised how stupid I’d been to put up with Gareth’s bullshit. I was so weak. I let him manipulate me into someone I wasn’t. I was…I was ashamed.”
“Ash.” When I didn’t look up, Lochlan’s hand tilted my chin, forcing my gaze to meet his. The pity I’d been expecting wasn’t there. Just a hint of sorrow and a boatload of fury. “You’ve gotnothingto be ashamed about. He is the one who should be ashamed, not you. I’d never judge you for anything. Especially in a situation like this.”
“I know. But the last few weeks with you they’ve been,” I blew out a breath, trying to think how to put my feelings into words. “Awesome. Happy. And just so fuckingeasy. I didn’t want to burst our bubble.”
“I get that,” Lochlan said softly. “I’ve loved these past few weeks too. But we can’t know if we’ve got something real if we don’t let the bad stuff in too. I want to be with you, Ash. For the goodandthe bad.”
My mouth dried out. “You do?”
He smirked at me. “Thought the fact I haven’t left your side for almost a month now might’ve tipped ye off.”
“I do too. Want that, I mean. You. The good. The bad. Everything you said.” Christ. Saying words was easy. Sentences though, were apparently out of my reach when Lochlan was offering me more than I’d dared hope for.
Giving up on trying to articulate, I leaned over the table to kiss him. Before our lips met, Lochlan covered my mouth with his hand. “Hang on, bràmair. We haven’t finished talking about your ex yet.”
I sat back in my seat with a pout. “What about him? He’ll stop eventually. That’s why I’ve not been engaging him. He’ll give up soon, it’s in his nature.”
“Ash, I think it’s more serious than you realise. He’s stalking you. We can’t just ignore that.”
I frowned “What? No he’s not.”
“Yes, he is,” Lochlan tapped my phone. “Read the message again.”
I did as he asked, the blood draining from my face as I spotted it.
You can prance around with that mage all you like…
“Motherfucker,” I cursed. “How fuckingdarehe.”
Jumping to my feet, I paced the kitchen tugging at my hair. “I thought he’d stoop low, but I hadn’t thought he’d dothis. What am I going to do?”
“Easy, bràmair,” Lochlan stood and grabbed me in his arms, rubbing his hands over my back. “You’re not alone in this. I know you said he’s no match for you, but I won’t let that happen. He’ll have to go through me to get to you.”
“But I don’t want that happening either,” I said, ice dripping down my spine at the mere thought. “What if he gets too close to you? If he bites you, I’ll lose you.”
When I bit Lochlan, my venom was kept safely at bay.
Gareth wouldn’t do that. He’d end Lochlan without a second thought.
Lochlan stroked my back soothingly. “Bràmair, he wouldn’t be able to get within six feet of me. I’d end him before he got close enough.”
I peered up at him curiously. “Okay, not to question you because Iknowyou’re powerful…but what makes you so confident?”
“You haven’t spent much time around water mages, have you?”
“Well, I’ve spent a lot of time withoneparticular water mage, but otherwise…no. Can’t say I have.”
