Page 65 of Enchanted

“It not being interesting is more reason to have company, not less,” I growled. Powder dusted my fingers and I quickly forced them to relax before I broke tiles. “Please tell me he was there for you when you were sick.”

“Sometimes,” he said quietly. “But he had a job to go to. It’s not like his life should have been put on hold because I was unwell. Especially given he’d have to go on living when I died.”

There was so much I wanted to say in response to that, but not a single word of it was appropriate given our current relationship. “Excuse me,” I said, shooting Ethan a strained smile. “Just need to use the toilet.”

Alone in the bathroom, I splashed cold water over my face before staring at my reflection, trying to reconcile everything Ethan had told me.

Ethan had been dying.

He’d been in pain.

He’d been suffering.

He’d been going through treatment.

Alone.

In the same city I lived in.

And where the fuck had I been?

Not with him. Not where I should’ve been.

If I’d known, I would’ve healed him the second he’d stepped back onto UK soil. Hell, I would’ve flown over to the states the day he had his seizure. Why the fuck had fate kept him from me until now? I understood why I hadn’t sensed him in his home, but why not at the hospital?

And why the fuck hadn’t Dave been at his side for all of it? What possible reason could he have to let the man he loved go on this journey alone?

I took several calming breaths, reminding myself of all the reasons why I couldn’t pop back to London to rip out Dave’s throat.

It might upset Ethan.

Ethan would be left alone.

He’s already been left alone enough.

No more. I’d be at his side as much as he’d allow me.

With an easy smile locked in place, I returned to Ethan in the hot tub.

My mate wasn’t relaxed. He was sitting forwards, worrying at his lower lip as he stared out over the lake. His skin was pale in the moonlight, his freckles striking in contrast. How I longed to trace them with my fingers. To gently pull his lip from between his teeth and kiss it until he forgot whatever was making him sad in this moment.

Maybe one day.

“Sorry about that,” I said as I returned to the water. The hot tub wasn’t small, but with Ethan being six foot and me being well over that, it certainly wasn’t roomy. I was having to work to make sure I didn’t brush against him. “Where were we?”

Like I’d forgotten.

“I was talking about Dave.” He sighed. “I’m starting to wonder if we would’ve broken up long before now if I hadn’t got sick. I suppose he was probably getting on with his life thinking I was going to die.”

I exhaled slowly. “And that makes it okay?”

“Course not,” Ethan muttered, his eyes dropping to the water. “But at least he stayed. Most men would have left.”

“Ethan,” I said quietly, “Ethan, look at me.”

A flush covered his cheeks, but he couldn’t seem to meet my gaze.

Benji’s voice suddenly rang in my mind. “If this person is your fated mate, what’s the point of dancing around the subject? I swear, all of you seem insistent on finding obstacles. The truth is, you’re going to end up with Ethan. Why fight it?”