Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 91164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
My mind wanders to Seth. The thought of what is happening to him is sad not only for Seth, but Vivi and their son and for Cassian.
The shower switches off and I almost leave, but stop myself. I take a seat in a chair across the room. A few moments later, the bathroom door opens, and Jet appears in the cloud of steam. He pauses, clearly surprised, but is extremely good at masking his emotions. At least masking anything other than amusement because he grins a one-sided grin, his eyes dancing as he drops his gaze to his too-low towel, pretending to adjust it while watching me through those thick black lashes.
I clear my throat because my gaze moves to the towel too. To the trail of dark hair disappearing beneath it.
“Allegra. What a lovely surprise. Cassian know you’re in here?”
“Cassian doesn’t dictate my every move.”
“Doesn’t he though?” he taunts and crosses toward the closet.
“Besides, he’s not here and if he’s not back in time, I need you to take me to Michael’s funeral,” I say, getting to my feet.
“I’m sure he’ll be back in time to take you although I’m not sure why you care considering.” He tries to move around me, but I step in front of him.
“He’s my brother.”
“He betrayed you.”
“That wasn’t—”
“He was weak, Allegra. But it’s none of my business. I’m sure Cassian will be back in time to take you.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because I know. You should leave. I need to get dressed.”
“I’m fine here.”
“Suit yourself,” he says, shrugging a shoulder and walking toward the closet. Just before he disappears into it, he drops the towel and gives me a view of his ass.
I gasp.
“Told you to leave,” he says.
A few minutes later, he reappears having pulled on a pair of jeans, a white T-shirt in his hands, but his chest still bare.
“That’s not appropriate for a funeral.”
He checks his watch for effect. “It’s early yet.” He tosses the T-shirt on the bed and looks at me. “You might want to get changed though. Considering your dress is inside out,” he says casually.
“What?” I look down, and he’s right. I was so upset last night I’d put my dress on wrong side out and I didn’t even notice. I shake my head. “It doesn’t matter. I’m not wearing this.” I stand, walk toward him with the book. “What are you doing with this?”
He looks at it, then at me, and when he turns to walk into the bathroom. I follow him.
“Enjoying your artwork. I told you I liked it. But that’s not why you’re here.”
He combs his hair and sprays deodorant under his arms then turns to me.
I drag my gaze from a mark along his torso to his face. “The brother who did that to you, was he the one from the other night?”
“Alternative would be Cassian, wouldn’t it?”
“Cassian wouldn’t do this.”
“Then why are you asking?”
“I don’t know. I mean, he did that.” I gesture to his temple.
“Cassian fights fair.”
“What are they?”
“Knife, mostly.” I draw in a sharp breath. “It’s years ago. Doesn’t matter anymore, Allegra.”
“Do they still hurt?”
“No.”
He goes to walk past me, but I block him. “He told me.” Jet raises his eyebrows waiting for clarification. “About Seth.”
A beat passes and Jet seems surprised, but then not. “Ah. Well, good for you. Do you mind? If he comes home and finds you in here and me like this, well, I don’t need to tell you he’s going to lose his shit.”
“That’s too bad for him.”
“Yeah, but I’m not going to be your pawn.”
“No, I’m pretty sure I’m the only pawn around here.”
At that he stops, studies me. “What are you doing in here, really?”
“I don’t know.” I walk back into the bedroom. Jet follows me. “Just when I start to trust him, he does something stupid, and it just sends me right back.” I turn to face him.
“And you want to get back at him? With me?”
We study each other. I consider his question. Is it what I want? Cassian is furious when Jet looks at me. Touches me. But he’s also right that I liked Jet watching the other night. But it’s not that I’m attracted to Jet. I’m drawn to him because of Cassian. There’s something between them that I am not a part of and hell, maybe I’m jealous. I don’t know.
When I reach up to touch him, it’s not a conscious decision. It’s those scars. He’s been wounded. Brutalized. He’s been afraid. We have that between us. We’ve both been made into victims. So when he goes to pull his shirt on over his head, I brush the tips of my fingers over one of those scars and Jet’s intake of breath is audible.
I swallow. The scar tissue beneath is rough. It healed this way. I look up at him, meeting his eyes which are narrowed, the green the deepest, darkest recesses of a forest. But he doesn’t stop me. He lets me touch him, lets me trace the scar. My heart thuds. When I slide my fingers farther, he captures my wrist and for a long moment, we stand like that.