Page 58 of Shadow Weaver
In that moment, I wanted to wrap myself around him and hold on for dear life. Every atom in my body yearned to be close to him. It was a sudden, violent feeling that stole my breath.
He leaned in and pressed his forehead to mine. “I can’t lose you, Indigo, even though I know you’re not mine to keep.”
An ache bloomed inside my chest. “Brady, I …” Words hovered on my lips. Words that, if spoken, couldn’t be taken back, and it wasn’t fair to him to say them, not now. Not until I was certain. “I’m so glad you’re here.” I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him onto the bed with me. “Can you hold me?”
His chest rumbled, and then he gathered me to him and pressed a kiss to my temple. “Always.”
I closed my eyes, safe in his arms, and let the healing darkness claim me once more.
“I love you, Indie. I fucking love you.”
But I was floating away.
Seventeen
Payne handed me another bag of blood. “Come on. One more.”
I shook my head. “Trust me, I’m full.”
He looked skeptical and then placed the bag on the bedside table. “You do look better.”
“I feel fine.”
I pushed back the covers and swung my legs out of bed. It had been six days. Six days to recover from my little stunt. But my body felt strong again. I was ready.
Payne picked up the card that sat on my bedside table and turned it over. “Looks like you made some friends.”
I smiled at the pink glitter-covered monstrosity. A get-well-soon card from the weaver class, obviously organized by Joti and signed by everyone except Fiona. At least the blackmailing bitch wasn’t a hypocrite.
“I’m ready to go back to work.”
I stood and did a couple of lunges to illustrate my point.
“Hyde will be the judge of that,” Payne said with a smile.
I tensed at the mention of his name. Six days and he hadn’t come to see me once. Not that he should. I mean, he was Master Hyde. He was a tutor, he was busy with knight stuff and managing the cadets, but Brady had come to see me three times, stealing time in between his patrols and guard duty. Thomas had come twice, and we’d hung out and talked about Harmon, and even Carlo and the twins had dropped by to check on me. Payne had been there every day. But not Hyde. Fuck, I’d wanted him to come so bad that I’d even imagined his fucking citrus scent in my room on more than one occasion.
If I needed any confirmation as to what we were or weren’t to each other, then this was it.
Payne was studying me with a frown, and then his mouth parted in revelation. “Oh, Indigo. It’s Hyde, isn’t it? The Tuatha you have feelings for.”
I really needed to work on my poker face. I slumped back onto the bed. “It doesn’t matter. Nothing happened, and nothing will happen. He’s made that clear.”
Payne exhaled in relief. “Good. Hyde is a good man. An honorable man, but still … Maybe I should have a word with him just to—”
“No!” I stared at him in horror as my pulse fluttered like crazy in my throat. “Oh, my God, you cannot do that. I can handle this. Okay?”
My tone came out sharper than intended, and a flash of pain crossed his face.
“I—I’m sorry.” He tucked in his chin. “I crossed the line. It’s not my place to play dad.”
Guilt hollowed out my chest. “No. Don’t be.” I reached out and squeezed his hand. “I love that you care. I love that you’re here, and I’m sorry I snapped at you. It’s just … I need to deal with this on my own.”
And by deal with it, I meant get over him. Because it was time to shut the door on the possibility of Hyde and me. It was time for me to move on.
* * *
The package had arrivedfive minutes ago, and Larkin had delivered it. It was my feytech armor complete with a hastily scrawled note.
