Page 64 of (Sur)real
“Are you hungry, Jim?” Winifred asked, holding out a box.
Hungry? Yes. But not for the pizza. Another pain hit me between the ribs.
“You’re not being smart about this,” Winifred said. “I don’t care what Michelle said. You shouldn’t spend any more time with Olivia than necessary.”
“I think we’ll just take that box and run,” Emmitt said, sliding out from behind Michelle. She stood, took the box from Winifred, and led the way out.
Just Winifred, Sam, Mom, Dad, and I remained in the room. They all watched me with varying degrees of concern.
I absently scratched my chest and sighed. At what point would they stop looking at me like a run-away pup? At what point would they trust that I truly did have the best interest of the pack and our people at heart?
“You told me to listen to my heart, and I am. With both ears. There’s a reason fate made her my Mate. We just don’t know why, yet. If I don’t spend time with her, how will we ever learn?”
“And, it has to be something important if Michelle saw him staying in the same room with her,” Mom added.
I winked at Mom. She might not be happy that I’d found Olivia after taking the oath, but she had wanted me to find a Mate since the first time I stole Dad’s car to hang out in town with human girls.
Winifred sighed.
“Just be careful.” She stepped aside and waved me out of the room. I quickly left and caught up with Henry just as he left Olivia’s room.
He took one look at me and shook his head.
“You look like you want to cuff me when I didn’t even do anything. I thought ‘be nice, but don’t trust’ was meant for her, not me,” he said.
“Sorry, Henry. I’m trying.”
I put my hand on the door, impatient to join her.
“I know. Good luck. And don’t forget what you told me,” he said before he walked away.
Don’t trust. I didn’t. Not blindly anyway. But I was starting to believe that Olivia was telling the truth. If Blake saw her as a tool like the rest of the girls and there was no true caring between the pair of them, she would have every reason to keep her emotions buried. Other than hiding those, she didn’t seem to be hiding anything else.
I opened the door and stepped inside.
OLIVIA…
My heart still wanted to race when Jim walked with purpose into the room. That Michelle had seen the two of us spending time together shouldn’t have shocked me. That was the reason for my time here, after all. Yet, hearing we would spend the night together did worry me. Everything rode on how carefully I proceeded, now. I couldn’t fail. Not now. Not this close.
I continued looking through my bag, as if I didn’t notice him, and struggled to maintain my breathing and pulse. He was dangerous. So very dangerous.
As much as I wanted to push him away, to tell him to leave, I knew I couldn’t. I needed him. Only not as a Mate, no matter what he felt for me. No matter what I was starting to feel for him.
When I found a clean pair of leggings and a loose t-shirt, I turned toward the bathroom.
“You can change the bandages after I’m done,” I said in an even tone.
“Me?”
“Yes. That’s why you’re here, isn’t it? To take care of me?” I held my breath, waiting for his answer.
“I don’t know. Is it?” he said softly.
His purpose was so much more, and the question made my heart thump harder for a beat. I was sure he heard it. Instead of cringing, I met his gaze, or what I thought might be his gaze given the shape of his head, with a steady stare.
“Only if you want to,” I said.
I stepped into the bathroom without waiting for his answer and closed the door. I watched him through the wall as he ran a hand over his chest then wandered around the room. His broad shoulders looked like they could easily take on any weight in the world. They would have to.
