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“She took them away, but cruelly, and they all watched, enjoying her pain.” Her gaze snapped to mine. “So you still want to tell her how pretty those scars are, little boy?”
“I’ll tell her what I tell her privately, thank you,” I answered after a moment.
She opened her mouth but then flinched. “Oh, you forget you’re the boss while I’m saying all of that but cut me off to defend him? Don’t like this boy. He will hurt you like they all do.” She sighed. “She’s so reclusive she’s never around people to remember she has to keep spirits in line when she is. Silly girl. Your heart is way too big. Yes, yes, the puzzle and cold eggs are horrid.”
She went back to work, muttering under her breath that men were full of demons and lust and evil. I couldn’t even blame her. I’d probably feel the same if my husband had beat me and ended up murdering me.
“Can I ask you something?” I muttered when we were done with breakfast.
She raised an eyebrow at me. “You may. I may not answer but go ahead and ask.”
“Do you think finishing this puzzle you wanted to do will give you peace to move on? I’m not well-versed in summonings or spirits, and while I’m glad you’re a nice one and don’t want to slaughter a town, I’m trying to understand more.”
“I see why you like this one,” she grumbled. “He’s patient and not pushy like the other two asking questions you weren’t the one to answer.” I bit back a smirk when Jackson and Jared flinched. “The answer is, I don’t know.
“I don’t know what’s keeping me here exactly. It’s not like a tag we have or list to handle so we can move on. It’s what I want to do as long as I’m not moving on.
“Larissa is helping me with the anger and rage so I don’t go all dark spirit or even worse, become a fractured spirit that turns into nothing one day. She’s working her magic and using that big brain to make sure my murder case against my husband is airtight and that bastard pays for what he did no matter how fancy his lawyer is. And I get my puzzle done despite the bastard.
“She gets the energy from my rage which is good fuel for a spirit’s power. Mine’s valid and that gives us power. She drains some of it for her totems and that’s our deal.
“I get once a week for a few hours now that she handled getting all the extra evidence the police missed and is monitoring the case.” She blew a raspberry. “I hope it gives me peace.
“That bastard and my parents are the reason I never got to live my life, and the one I had was crap. I really hope they don’t get my afterlife as well.” She paused, staring down at Larissa’s hands that weren’t covered for once. “Ifeellike this is holding me back. Not the silly puzzle, but knowing I did one thing I chose because I wanted to, not because it was what a wife did.”
“Thank you for answering. I’ll leave you to your time as I’m sure it’s precious to you.”
She nodded but then narrowed her eyes at me. “You still keep your dirty paws off our girl. And for the love of all that is holy, do not eat a cheeseburger in front of this girl. I’m not saying it for you, but to protect her. She’ll have a horrible flashback, and she doesn’t need those memories in the front of her mind.”
“I don’t get it,” Jared admitted.
She huffed and glared at him. “You think a momma that twisted and sick only did what I told you to this girl? No, she used to stuff the girl silly with everything bad and then fat-shame her. Then she’d put her on a ‘diet’ and starve her while yelling she was ugly and it was embarrassing.
“Then when she was too skinny again, she’d do it all over again. It’s a miracle she has any stomach lining left or didn’t die, which might have been her momma’s goal she was so jealous. Either way, it left her hating food and all the trauma she went through with it. So make your eggs for her, but don’t be stupid and hurt her.”
“Enjoy your puzzle.” I was out the door when her head snapped up as if she realized I didn’t promise to keep my hands off of Larissa.
Yeah, because I wouldn’t. I’d be careful with her and I understood her much better, but I wasn’t going anywhere. No way, I was totally into my kitten.
We got to work and I felt the magic flare when she sent the spirit back. I waited until we were at a good stopping point before taking a break and heading to find her so I could apologize for last night and talk to her.
Only to find her coming out of the hallway bathroom since the one in the master bedroom was busted. She tucked the towel around her but only after I got another glimpse of her pale, pale skin. She did have Snow White skin for sure.
She jumped when she saw me, tucking the towel tighter. “Sorry, I’m not used to people being around.”
I nodded, moving closer and trying not to crowd her but needing to touch her. I wrapped a long strand of her wet hair around my finger as I leaned in. “I’m sorry about last night. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
She shrugged, leaning against the wall but not moving away even if she wouldn’t look at me. “You didn’t know. I’m sorry for everything the spirit said. You didn’t need all that dumped on you.”
I didn’t reply right away. “I’m sorry she was the one who told me, but I want to know more about you, kitten, even the bad. I didn’t like knowing you weren’t ready to tell us that, but I hope you’ll tell me more when you are, and I’ll tell you everything too.”
She swallowed loudly and lifted her head. “You didn’t promise to keep your hands off of me. She wasn’t happy about that.”
“I have no intention of keeping my hands to myself when it comes to you, but I will go as slow as you need me to.” I leaned in a bit more. “I will ask and make sure every step and move is okay with you, but you feel this too, I know you do.”
I waited until she nodded.
“Can I kiss you?” She froze and blinked at me. “You need to move away if you don’t want me to or tell me no.”
