Shit.
I don't know the protocol here. Should I have stood up for myself or would that have invited more danger?
Maybe I should have, but his disgusting touch and foul words are reminiscent of Mathew and his brothers, and I couldn't protect myself from them.
In the absence of everyone but the bartender, I finally let the tears come.
Only a couple warm my eyes but it's enough to ease the pressure in my chest as I gaze down at my glass.
Tonight… did not go as planned.
My talk with Dad was barely a talk at all. He just kept telling me how proud he was of me, how I was saving everyone and that it would be over soon.
Every time I asked about Mom or Beatie, he just stared at me blankly.
Come to think of it, he didn't seem all there. It was almost as if he was half asleep or something.
Did Mathew drug him?
Wishful thinking.
Dad has never been much for responsibility, not really.
I close my eyes and tears leak down my cheeks.
I have no answers, no way out of this, and I didn't even manage to help Kon find the culprit behind the leaks. And to top it all off, one of his generals thinks I'm easy.
"Rose?" Calvin's voice cuts through my thoughts like a warm ray of sun. "Are you alright?"
I open my eyes and nod while hastily wiping away the tears. "I'm fine. Just tired. It's been a long night."
"What Zangier did?—"
"It's fine," I assure him again. "No big deal. No need to make an issue out of it. Dude was so drunk he probably thought I was someone else." And there's no telling what Kon would do if he found out. "I'm okay, I promise."
Calvin doesn't look entirely convinced but he doesn't press it any further. He lingers closer to me though, until I finish my drink and head upstairs to bed.
Entering our bedroom, the soft scent of soap and vanilla catches at my nose and as I close the door, the ensuite opens and Konwalks out. He's all pink and freshly showered, with his hair sticking up in every direction.
"Rose?"
The softness in his voice makes my heart melt and it's difficult not to give into the urge to cry once more. I flash him a smile, then glance at his uncovered wound.
"Let me take care of that again," I say, reaching for his hand.
Kon takes it as he walks past and I lead him toward the bed, where he sits in his towel. "The medical kit is in the bathroom," he says.
Locating it is easy. While in there, I discard my dress, scrub the makeup from my face, and dress in a soft nightie, then head back to where Kon remains obediently waiting on the bed.
"You look sad," Kon says as I slip into his lap and set the medical kit aside on the bed.
"I'm worried," I admit, though I have to maintain the lie. "I know if it was something serious, they would have called me to let me know. But not knowing is just as worrisome,"
"I understand." Kon's voice rumbles through the air toward me and he places both hands on my hips to help me balance while I clean around his wound and apply fresh gauze.
"I'm also really glad you came home safe. I was worried about that too. I didn't know… I mean, I know how this world works but I didn't know you had enemies this bold."
"Neither did I." Kon's thumbs rub soft, affectionate circles across my hips. "But I am safe."
