AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My immediate reaction is to cling to him. I’m not ready to leave the comforting circle of his arms and wings. Though I’m in desperate need of a shower. “No! Can I stay with you?”
William sighs. “There’s nowhere I can take you that will be comfortable for you. Princess like you doesn’t belong in a stone tower.”
Maurice saunters over. “I have an apartment right near the Grand Theater. Spare room’s yours, if you want it. Both of you. Come on.”
I don’t know what I did to deserve this incredibly chivalrous rescue, but I scoop up my clothes and dress quickly, not willing to look a gift horse in the mouth. I’ve had a good feeling all along about monsters over humans. Seems like I should have trusted my gut.
SIXTEEN
William
Jessie is still shaking when Maurice unlocks the door of his fifth floor apartment and shows us into the small living room. The apartment is off the ground, which is enough to make me feel better, and since it’s decorated with mismatched furniture, I don’t feel quite so awkward, worrying about how I’ll fit my large frame and my wings and tail into the space without knocking something over. Reluctantly, I set Jessie down on her feet, but I keep my hand on her shoulder. If I’m not touching her right now, I’ll lose it.
She glances back at me with a sad sort of half smile that feels like taking the butt of a lance in the guts. Then she turns back to the werewolf.
“Thank you for letting us come back here. And for coming to help me. I can’t believe—” Her sentence is cut off when her voice wavers and I have to concentrate hard on not digging my claws into her when my hand tightens on her shoulder. I just want to pull her back into my arms and hold her, and tell her I’m sorry a hundred more times. But I’m sure she won’t appreciate it. I’m lucky she’s tolerating my presence, and I’m not trying to do anything to jeopardize that.
Maurice waves away her thanks. “Che nada. Listen, I have to go back to work in a mo’, but you’re welcome to stay. Stay the night. Stay longer. Whatever you need.”
“Oh no. I’d just love to have a shower, really. And I’ll get out of your hair once I’ve had a chance to talk with William.”
Inside the stone cage of my chest, my heart flutters wildly, wondering what she wants to say. Probably, ‘leave me the fuck alone, you creep’. I sigh. I’m not sure I’ll be able to, even if she asked me.
Maurice goes to a cupboard in the hallway and takes out two large towels, one blue and one green. It seems nothing in his home matches and I like him more for it. He’s my type of bloke. Not pretentious. You can tell he wears his heart on his sleeve. “Here. Bathroom’s the second door on the right. And the first door is the spare room. I mean it. You make yourselves at home. Anything I can grab you before I go?”
Jessie shakes her head. I’d love to ask him to get her something to eat, but I sense that would only make her more uncomfortable, so I resist. I don’t love how much I owe this guy, but I figure a meal is nothing compared to the debt I have to repay him. I’ll find a way to work it off.
A few minutes later, the front door clicks shut and we’re alone. Jessie fidgets with the button on her jacket. “I’ll just take that shower, OK?”
“Course.” I nod and wish something I could say would ease the tension I feel in her tight muscles and her trembling lip.
She starts undressing, not stopping at the jacket, which she hands to me. As she slips her black dress over her head, I swallow thickly and turn away.
A tsk from behind me makes me turn. “What are you doing, you big dork? You’ve already seen everything.”
I shrug. “Now feels different. You’re not putting on a show.”
