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“You are so beautiful, Shelby. I ache for a female of my own when I watch you. You are soft and so different from me. I know I’ve made many mistakes in a short time, but I swear I am learning how to be a better man for you.”
His words melted what little anger remained, and I opened my eyes to look up at him.
“You started out as a better man, Turik. I’m just not ready for another one. I want to be by myself for a while.”
“You want to live alone?”
“No. I don’t mind sharing a house. In fact, it helps me feel safer knowing both you and Vorx are here. I just meant that I want to be single. Being with Nat wasn’t good, and I need some time to let that fade.”
Turik released my hair and pulled back to look at my torso.
“Like your bruises.”
“Exactly.”
He exhaled heavily and nodded.
“I understand.”
“Thank you. I think I can handle my hair from here.”
He didn’t try to wheedle more time or touch me in any way. He simply left, and I stared at his backside the whole time.
Why did the fey have to be so temptingly sculpted? I lightly bit my lip then focused on washing my hair a second time. He’d done well, though, and there wasn’t a trace of him left.
When I emerged from the shower, the sky was already brightening with the light of a new day, and my clothes waited for me, folded, on the counter. They didn’t just look clean; they smelled clean too. I lifted the socks to my nose and gave a tentative sniff, inhaling the light scent of detergent.
Since Turik had been pinned under me all night, I knew my clean clothes were Vorx’s doing. It almost made up for the line he crossed this morning.
Almost.
If he was as smooth as Turik with his words, I would probably be over my grudge by nightfall.
Dressed in clean clothes and fully covered, I left the bathroom and joined my housemates in the kitchen. Turik was already dressed for the day and looking at the contents of the cupboards.
“Which do you prefer?” he asked. “Pancakes, oatmeal, cereal with milk, or eggs?”
“You have all of that?” I asked in disbelief.
“Yes. But if there is something else you want, we can probably find it in the storage shed.”
“No. That’s okay. Cereal with milk sounds great.” I didn’t even care what kind of cereal it was. How long had it been since I had such a normal breakfast or tasted milk? Over four months now? Without a way to track the passing days, time had a way of slipping by.
Turik and Vorx worked in unison to prepare my breakfast. Vorx produced a glass filled with milk from the fridge while Turik set out a bowl and spoon for me. The cupboard above the fridge held seven different cereal boxes for me to choose from. The sugary mix I selected wasn’t something I would have normally eaten, but it brought me back to my childhood and happy memories.
I grinned as I shoveled it in, barely noting the way they watched me.
Their attention didn’t feel weird. It felt right.
CHAPTERNINE
As soon asI finished my last bite of breakfast, Turik held out his hand.
“We should hurry. Ryan will be waiting.”
I glanced from his hand to my bowl. “I’ll just clean this—”
Vorx swiped up the dishes and placed them in the sink.
