AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Before I left, I started a fire, and the warmth of the room envelops me. Carefully, I take the plastic bag out of my backpack and throw my gloves into the flames. I got some blood on my shirt,so I strip my jacket off and throw it to the floor. Just as I’m pulling my shirt over my head, the stairs creak.
I don’t turn to look at her as she hovers near the base of the stairs. She can see into the living room from there, and she knows I’m aware of her presence.
“Is he…” She trails off.
“Yes.” I toss my shirt into the fire.
“Thank—”
“You should be asleep.”
Athelia doesn’t answer. I can see her out of the corner of my eye—unmoving and silent.
With a sigh, I brace a hand against the mantle of the fireplace and stare at the ground. I want to tell her I’m sorry, but it won’t do any good. I’ve already done that, and it wasn’t enough.
“I’ve never had someone kill for me before,” Athelia says after a couple minutes, “and now you’ve done it twice.”
At that, I look up, finally meeting her gaze. She’s watching me with a soft expression. I’m pretty sure I’m imagining the admiration on her features, but it’s nice to pretend it’s there.
“I’d kill anyone if you asked me to,” I reply.
She blinks rapidly, like she’s surprised I’d say that.
Without realizing it, I take a couple steps closer to her. She tenses, so I freeze.
“Athelia—”
“I care,” she blurts.
“Wha—”
“Icared earlier, too,” she adds quickly. “And I was worried about you. That’s why I couldn’t sleep.”
Some of the tightness in my chest eases. “I know.”
She frowns. “But earlier, you told me—”
“I just wanted to hear you say it.”
“Oh.” Athelia shifts, like she’s full of nervous energy that’s trying to escape her body. She’s still in the tank top top and shorts that she was wearing when I carried her to bed, but thankfully, she’s not crying anymore.
I sigh, picking up my backpack. “I need to shower.”
With a silent nod, she presses herself against the wall to make room for me. She’s still standing on the bottom step.
I glance at the fireplace. Everything is burning nicely. I move the protective screen so it’s back in front before slowly walking toward the stairs.
As I pass her, Athelia touches my wrist. It’s so light I almost miss it.
“Thank you,” she whispers when I pause.
Turning to face her, I reach out and cup her cheek. Her skin is soft under my palm. “You don’t have to thank me.”
“You just killed a man for me, Wes. Your own stepfather.”
“He hurt me, too,” I say, unsure of why I do. If it hadn’t been for what he did to Athelia, I wouldn’t have killed him, and we both know it.
She huffs. “Just take the win, Wes.”
