Gabriel would’ve critiqued his execution a bit, and most definitely his lack of clothing in such a display. Especially since Sam stiffened, which meant this was either their first kiss or Sam preferred no audience.
I assumed the latter as Sam melted into Oliver, completely forgetting—or ignoring—me.
“I’ll just see myself out.” I squeezed by them, holding back my smile.
Oliver abruptly pulled back, his eyes widening.
“Shit.”
“Don’t stop on my account,” I said, amused.
I opened the door and left, Sam’s soft reassurances following me out.
Gabriel would’ve been happy for his son and proud of his boldness. Since he wasn’t here, I’d be happy for him.
Chapter
Twenty-Eight
Lucille
It was just until Aspen had a solid footing. That was what I told Oliver when he realized he’d be sharing a bed with him. It had nothing to do with the bed’s size, but Oliver being Oliver. Even with Rune between the two, there was plenty of room for more, including me. But I settled onto the uncomfortable couch despite their protests.
I just… Aspen took up a lot of my mental energy, and I was confused. I was still hurt from what he’d done. I resented our guardian bond. Yet I worried for him, and my lingering feelings were still there. They clung to the fact that Aspen had been forced to hurt me. He never wanted to. He didn’t place this bond on us. He could still be the male who dazzled me on Earth.
But then there was Ronen.
His anxiety still hummed in my mind, changing in intensity throughout the day. And for some reason, it comforted me. The sliver of his essence faintly wove around the single emotion, giving me the tiniest taste of him. It meant more that he could ever know that he hadn’t taken it away.
But while a part of me bathed in that knowledge, another yearned for… more.
I fiddled with the afghan on my lap, wrapping and unwrapping the fringe around my fingers. The fireplace had dwindled to nothing but red coals, their slow pulse matching the throb behind my eyes.
Did Ronen know if there was a rune on my father? Or did it need to be placed on my father? Was it the key to opening the gates? It couldn’t be a coincidence that the doors showed the rune between an image of the gates opening. It had to be connected.
The hours, the days, the weeks were shrinking every second. I couldn’t figure this out.
But time and the rune weren’t the only things haunting me.
Did my mom always know about the guardian bond? Did she put it on us? Did that relate to the prophecy, or was it just a note in the margins?
“At this rate, you’re going to burn a hole through your blanket. Care to share?”
Oliver’s whisper startled me. I hadn’t even heard him get out of bed.
I glanced at Aspen. The blanket covering him shifted with each slow breath.
Oliver noticed the direction of my eyes.
“Is this about your mom and…”
Only in part, but I still nodded.
The floorboards creaked beneath his weight as he gestured toward the sitting area. We both left the bedroom, closing the door softly behind us.
Oliver placed another log on the dark coals. He poked them with the fire iron as if shifting around the heatless embers would reignite them.
Settling into the settee, my Infernus scattered itches across my skin and sang in my ear. If I had to guess, the deep, alluring melody took one glance at Oliver and pitied him.
