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When she leans against the tiles, frustration gets the better of me and I pull off my T-shirt and I step under the spray. My sweatpants are soaked through, but my arms wrap around her and I hold her up. Gritting my teeth, I turn on the cold tap, before shutting off the hot one. The moment those icy prickles stab at us, a scream is wrenched from Zaria’s lips.
I recall seeing my father do this to my mother when I was little. She struggled the same way. I didn’t know what was happening, only that mom was screaming and dad was holding her. Everything was blurry at the time, but now that I’m in the exact same position, I realize my father isn’t the bastard I always thought he was.
My mother was ill.
The love he had for her had overtaken all the shit they went through, and even as kids, he hid the fact that she wasn’t well. We didn’t know anything about her mental health. It was only when she left, when I was older, did I look into it. Most of the files were hidden. My father is good at keeping secrets.
Zaria moves in my arms, bringing me back to the present. Those pretty fucking gold eyes that look like honey. They pierce me right through the heart and I find myself leaning in to steal her whimpers of being ice cold. I turn off the tap the moment my mouth finds hers.
She’s shaking, but she’s sobered up. Thankfully, as I pull her from the shower and wrap her up, she stops trembling. The towel that’s covering her wet skin hides her from my gaze, but I can’t deny I did look when she was in there, under the spray. I never claimed to be a gentleman.
“Y-you s-s-should forgive him,” Zaria mumbles, her words slowly sinking into the anger that has held me captive since I found out about Jarred’s secret. Confusion settles in my chest, my mind trying to figure out what she’s talking about, but then she smiles and says, “Jarred, he loves you.”
I can’t think about him right now. I can’t bring myself to ponder what the fuck happened between us that he hid the truth of why he was here in the first place. He always told me that honesty was the best policy. And then he lied.
“That doesn’t concern you,” I bite out as I grip Zaria’s arm and drag her into her bedroom. I’m about to take her to the bed, but she pulls out of my grip and has me stalling all movement. I spin around to take her in, and it seems like the little princess is sober and feels like arguing with me.
“I’m not bringing him back here. He lied.” There’s one thing I will never tolerate, and that is secrets. I’ve seen how it breaks down relationships, love and happiness, how it rips through a household like a goddamned storm and it leaves destruction in its wake.
“But you can’t push someone away because they were afraid of losing you, Finn,” she insists, the tears that had fallen earlier linger on her lashes as she regards me. “That’s not how this works.”
“And you’re the expert on relationships?” I throw back. My defenses already making their way up, needing to hide what I feel. I do this all the time. I’ve done it with Jarred so many times over the past few years, I am surprised he didn’t leave. But he was here because he wanted all the secrets of Thorne Haven, so he could take them back to Tynewood. At least, that’s what it seems like.
“No,” Zaria says, “I’m not an expert, but I know human emotion. And I can see that he loves you.” Her voice is small, but firm. There’s confidence that glows in her. She wobbles slightly, causing me to step closer and pull her into my arms. The softness of her curves makes me hard. I know she can feel it because the gasp that tumbles from those soft lips is audible in the silence of her bedroom.
“And what about you, little princess?” I whisper my question against her mouth. “Do you want a man in your life who wants you and someone else? Can you handle it?” I didn’t think I would ever want someone my father chose for me. But as the days have passed, I’ve found myself more and more enthralled by her. My need to lay her down and finally have her is an idea that has become more and more enticing.
“I can handle anything you throw at me, Finn,” Zaria informs me confidently. “I’m not a weak little girl,” she says in a stronger tone. Her lips moving against mine. She doesn’t lean in to kiss me, and I don’t inch closer either. We’re standing in her room, she’s still naked, my cock is hard as fucking steel, and yet, we’re both frozen. “Would you like to feel us both against you?” She utters the question in a low tone that is a breathed whisper.
