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I don’t ask about that, either.
Between the three of them, they turned it into a sanctuary for me. A place I can be safe and on my own. There’s a full-sized bed, brand new linens, and a dresser. Clothes—in a style just like I like—fill the drawers. A new pair of gloves, just waiting for me to break them in—are laid out on the top.
And when I try to tell Ash how much I appreciate the thought, he tells me almost begrudgingly that it’s Nine who I owe my gratitude to. It was his idea.
A gift just for me.
I’m stubborn. Hurt. I don’t say a word to Nine about it even as I do move into the room that night.
The bed is perfect. It feels like sleeping on a cloud.
I just wish I wasn’t sleeping in it alone.
13
I let myself into the apartment, carrying a few bags of groceries from the corner market.
We didn’t really need much—with three of us feeling comfortable enough to walk around the neighborhood now, the fridge is always stocked. But, since I needed the excuse to get some fresh air earlier, I offered to take a run down to the store knowing that Nine couldn’t come with me.
I’m beginning to think that I shouldn’t have thrown such a stink about him going back to Faerie. He’s obviously miserable here. The iron doesn’t affect him as much, and his tolerance to the sun grows with every day. I watch him stand in front of the window for hours, as if he’s forcing himself to get used to it. He wants to get stronger since he can’t go back to Faerie.
For me. He’s doing it for me.
The old familiar guilt settles in my gut as I find him standing there again. I force a smile to my face a second before he turns to welcome me back home.
“Where are my parents?” I ask as I set the groceries down.
“They… left.”
Why am I not surprised?
I don’t blame them. We’ve been forced into an incredibly close proximity these last few weeks. Of course, considering the talk I had with my mom the other day, all of their little day trip seems just a little too coincidental to me.
It isn’t lost on either of them that Nine is still hanging out in the living room while I stay in my room. Despite their giving us as much privacy as Callie can by dragging my dad out with her, it’s pointless.
Nine hasn’t touched me yet. Not even an accidental brush in the hallway. Nothing at all.
I’m still grateful for her looking out for me like this. I’m also super glad that she feels confident enough to go out and leave me behind at all.
We’ve been hiding out long enough that the inherent need to actually hide isn’t as bad as it was. Now that Callie is doing better with heading out, Ash has no problem joining her while it’s bright. The two of them are rarely without the other.
Because they’re mates and, according to Callie, that’s how it’s supposed to be with mates.
Then there’s Nine.
I’m supposed to be his mate. I let him claim me in Faerie when he pulled me close and stole my kiss. I was totally down with being Nine’s.
But what does that mean?
Even better, what does my Shadow Man think it means?
I still don’t know.
I sigh. Weeks. It’s been weeks. And maybe I’m too conditioned not to ask Nine anything from a lifetime of my Shadow Man always being the one to provide any answers for me, but I haven’t been able to bring myself to ask him a single thing anymore.
Until now.
I’m so tired. I’m so unsure.
