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Marian?
I turned to my right, her scent heavy on the air, and on cue, she appeared at the side of the house. Her eyes quickly searched the backyard before landing on me, and we stared at each other for a second.
Goddess, she was beautiful. I'd never seen a woman more beautiful before or after I met Marian. Her smile, the way she walked, and her eyes came together to make her the drug I hadn't gotten over all these years.
She walked forward, her hand in the pockets of her deep wine-colored jacket.
“Hey,” she called. “Sorry for dropping by unannounced.”
“No worries,” I replied. “I’m surprised you’re here. I thought you wanted me dead after our last meeting.”
She stared at the wood pile when she stopped a few steps away from me. Her hair was in a ponytail, every strand slicked back, which showed off her neck and the delicate gold earrings in her ears.
“I thought about it,” she mumbled, and her eyes drifted to me before she smiled ever so slightly.
It was enough. It was undoubtedly an improvement from her looking at me like I was a monster. I’d hurt her, I knew that and deserved her hate, but that didn't make it hurt less. Marian still didn’t know why I’d pushed her away. I left because being with me would put her in danger but knowing her, she wouldn’t have let go.
She didn't want our relationship to end, and her fighting for me made what I did infinitely more complicated, but I’d seen the risks. Too many times, I saw families used as bait or revenge. I was lucky to have made it to this point, to have lived to see retirement, but at night, whenever I went to sleep, and the nightmares began, I didn't feel like one of the lucky ones.
“But a hunter would snap me like a twig,” Marian added, and her eyes fell to my chest before she quickly looked away. “So I’d rather not fight with one.”
So she wasn't as unaffected by me as she was letting on. The thought made me want to smile, but I kept my composure, and she was no twig. That was very clear. She'd always had wide hips, a waist my arm could almost wholly wrap around, and breasts so soft… I took a cleansing breath and turned away from her.
"I'm sorry for how I behaved in the forest, Marian," I began to say, and I heard her take a deep breath. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”
“Yeah,” she drawled. “I know. I appreciate you looking out for me, Dorian. I do because you've seen horrible things I can't dream of, no doubt, but I can take care of myself. I’ve been doing it for years.”
Already our conversation was going south. Did she stop by to repeat what she'd said before? If that was the case, she didn't have to. I heard her loud and clear before.
“I know,” I replied while facing her. "I heard you the first time, and I'll stay out of your way."
We stared at each other, and what I already knew was solidified. There was no reason to tell her the truth behind our breakup, not after all this time, but I needed to apologize for what I'd done.
"I'm sorry," I said, and she frowned. "I'm sorry for how things ended between us."
She puckered her lips and then smiled while looking down at her boots. "Don't worry about it," she replied with a nonchalant flair to her words. "I got over that a long time ago." She looked up from beneath her lashes. "You made your choices, Dorian, choices you felt were best for you, and I can't argue with that. You did what you needed to, and I did the same."
She removed her hands from her jacket and walked forward. "I don't want to carry vengeance in my heart. That's why I decided to stop by." When she picked up a piece of wood and then the ax, I frowned. "You're back now, and we're going to be seeing a lot of each other. I just want things to be civil."
When she swung the ax, the wood split in two with one strike. I exhaled heavily through my mouth, was she doing this on purpose? Was she putting on a show to toy with me? Because it was working!
We'd be seeing a lot of each other, but it would be best if we didn't. Not when right now, I wanted nothing more than to kiss her, to feel her body against mine, and be reminded of her taste.
"Agreed," I said, and she held the ax out to me.
I took it, my fingers barely brushing hers, and she released it before I'd fully taken it.
"I'll see you around, Dorian," she said while turning away, but instead of leaving, she froze.
Nikoli was standing on the back patio, his eyes wide. He stared at Marian, then me, then back at Marina.
"Marian?" he called, and her hands flew to her mouth.
“Nikoli?” she called with shock, and he nodded with a growing smile.
Nikoli was seventeen but was already 6'2. He had black hair like me but blue eyes and a straight face. He made his way down the steps while Marian rushed forward, and I watched as they embraced each other.
She squealed when he picked her up, and I turned away as she reached up to cup his cheek.
