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Furious tears pricked. Exhausted rage-thick tears.
I’d never been so weak or so helpless. Never forced to see just how fragile I truly was. After eleven months of running from my uncle’s killers. Eleven months of stepping up to help my father protect our family. Eleven months of becoming a man and so stupidly believing I was strong enough to take on anything and anyone, I finally accepted I was nothing.
Nothing but a boy who could so easily be snuffed out.
Fuck, what a fool I am.
I’m so sorry. My grief swelled. So sorry I’m the reason you’re dead—
“What in the freaking seashells are you doing out of bed?”
My head whipped up, and I slashed at the tear rolling down my cheek. Everything stilled inside me as Neri marched toward me with tiny hands on dainty hips, and a peach sundress wafting around her lanky legs. “Are you that pig-headed that you don’t obey anyone or are you just stupid?”
I scowled. “Don’t call me stupid.”
“I can call you stupid if you’re doing stupid things, and right now—” She crossed her arms and looked me up and down. “You’re being stupid.”
I was suddenly very aware of my lack of clothing and the breeze running over my bare ass. With a wince and a groan, I hitched myself back onto the bed and breathed heavily. “I thought you and your parents had gone.”
“We did.” As quickly as she’d snapped at me, she grinned. Dropping her arms, she skipped to my side and sprang onto the bed, making it shudder. “We went home to change and grab supplies.”
“Supplies?”
“Yeah, you know like food and stuff.”
“Stuff?”
She plucked at the starchy bed sheets. “This isn’t very comfy. It’s all stiff and smelly.”
I couldn’t keep up with this girl. “You’re annoyed at the bed now?”
“I’m not annoyed.” She looked up, blowing strands of wavy, chocolatey hair out of her eyes.
Once again, I couldn’t look away.
Her eyes were unique. Too blue. Too bright. Too seeing.
“You okay?” she whispered, her voice so gentle and sweet it made me jolt with a wave of homesickness, heartache, and sorrow.
I knew I should look away.
I should probably move away.
But the longer she looked into me, the more I found myself in her, and I fucking drowned all over again.
She blinked.
The spell broke.
I shook my head and tried to speak. “I...I—” I coughed, clearing the scratch and dryness. “Please don’t ask me that. I never want to hear that word again.”
Her innocent forehead scrunched up before her eyes widened with understanding. “Okay. I promise not to say okay. Oops, I said okay to not saying okay. Darn, I said it again. Okay, I’ll stop now. I mean, crap—” She swatted her hand against her mouth, mumbling. “I’m done.”
A smile teased the corners of my lips.
It caught me by complete surprise.
I never thought I’d ever smile again, let alone be on the brink of a chuckle.
