I wasn’t sure what I’d do if I felt his guilt again, or disgust, or even desire.
My first sexual experiences were tainted by lies, poisoned with bitterness.
It hurt to even think about.
Oliver’s grip turned punishing as Aspen disappeared into the room.
“I think I need to lock you in the closet.”
His sentence derailed my morose thoughts.
“What?”
“So I can kill him.”
Green flames infused his irises.
The wordthreatpounded in my head, the invasive force wrapping tightly around it and tapping on my reluctant Infernus.
“Oli, I’ve come to terms with it.”
“How? When have you had time to process anything, Luce?”
I rested my hand over the scar Marcus had given him.
“He’s as much a victim as everyone else.”
“Yes. But that doesn’t mean what he did to you hurt any less.”
His power receded, dimming the green in his eyes.
“Damn, Lucy. Don’t tell me he’s in the ring too.”
The rush of shower water filled the quiet.
My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth, waiting for him to drop it.
I should’ve known better, especially when he waved his hand as if to saylet’s hear it.
“Oli, I don’t even know if there is a ring.”
His expression gentled.
“Do you even want to go out with Ronen tonight?”
“I don’t know. But I should be focused on my mom, your sister, the prophecies, the guardian bond…” I trailed off at Oliver’s glare.
“You’ll make yourself crazy if you don’t take a break and live a little. Maybe some time with Ronen, away from Aspen and all our problems, would do you some good.”
I glanced toward the bedroom, frowning.
Oliver stepped into my line of sight.
“What is it? What’s making you hesitate? Guilt? Obligation? Fear? Do you still have feelings for him?”
Dropping my gaze to the patterned rug, my shoulders slumped.
“I don’t know. All of it?” I whispered. “Does that make me stupid and naïve?”
