Page 67 of Rule

Her hair was wet, and she smelled fresh andclean and my chest tightened in a weird way that I didn’t understand or like.Why would it be so hard to breathe just because she was in the room?

“Bella is having a bad day,” Bran said. “Sheis tired and -”

“Girl!” Bella lifted her head from the tableand, still sobbing, held out her arms. “Girl hold Bella.”

Bran’s jaw dropped and I knew I had an identicalexpression of shock on my face as Evie immediately scooped up Bella from herchair. Bella wrapped her arms around Evie’s neck and her tail around herforearm, clinging to her as she sobbed loudly.

“Shh, sweetie, shh.” Evie swayed back andforth, rubbing Bella’s back and kissing the top of her head. “It’s all right,sweetie.”

She walked back and forth in the kitchen,rubbing and patting Bella’s back and murmuring soft words of comfort to her, untilBella’s sobs slowed to watery hiccups. Evie eased into a chair and kissedBella’s head again. Bella sat back and stared miserably at her, keeping hertail wrapped tightly around Evie’s forearm.

“Oh, honey.” Evie kissed her forehead. “Areyou having a bad day?”

Bella stared up at her. “Bella no likeday.”

Evie smoothed Bella’s hair back from herface. Without speaking, Bran wet a cloth and handed it to her. Evie wiped thetears from Bella’s cheeks. Her face was still a dark purple and her eyes wereswollen from crying. Evie cleaned under Bella’s nose and then handed the clothback to Bran.

“There, does that feel better?” she said asshe studied Bella’s face.

Bella nodded but another tear dripped downher cheek. “I sad, girl.”

“Why are you sad, honey?” Evie wiped thetear away with her thumb.

Bella glanced at Bran, another tear slidingdown her cheek. “Bella hit Papa. Bella bad girl.”

Bran’s face twisted and Evelyn immediatelygathered Bella close before kissing her head again. “Well, it is never nice tohit someone, but I bet if you say sorry to your papa for hitting him, you’llfeel much better.”

Bella leaned against Evie’s chest and madea shuddering sigh before staring at Bran. “I sorry, Papa.”

“I know, meena,” Bran said. “You are not abad girl.”

“Papa love Bella?” Her little voice was pitchedhigh with worry.

Bran leaned over and rested his foreheadagainst Bella’s. “Papa loves Bella. Always.”

“Kiss, Papa,” Bella said.

Bran gave her a kiss before straighteningand Bella turned to me, her tear-streaked face solemn. “Kiss, Uda.”

I kissed her, breathing in her scent andEvie’s good clean scent, and resisting the urge to kiss Evelyn as well.

I settled back in my chair as Bran put abowl of faven in front of Evelyn. She smiled, but her cheeks were pink, andshe wouldn’t quite meet his gaze or mine. “Thank you.”

She ate a spoonful of faven, then dipped itinto the bowl and scooped out more. “Here, Bella. You and I will share my faventhis morning.”

Bella ate the spoonful of faven without arguingand another wave of surprise went through me. Getting Bella to do anythingwhen she was in a bad mood was incredibly difficult. I caught Bran’s gaze andhe shrugged before turning back to the sink. I ate my own breakfast, watching Evelynand Bella as they shared the bowl of faven.

* * *

“Bran, are we going to speak about whathappened last night?”

I stood in the doorway of the living room,blocking Bran’s exit. He had done a remarkable job of avoiding me all day, justlike the little human, but I was determined to speak with him.

“What is there to talk about?” Bran refusedto look at me, staring moodily into the fire instead. “You wanted to fuck thehuman and you did.”

“Keep your voice down,” I said with a glancebehind me.

“She is with Bella for her sleep ritual,”Bran said. “She will not hear me.”

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