Page 4 of Maiming
“I already told you, I’d wait for you. For a job. For a future. For the rest of our lives.” His palms lift as he smiles a wide and daunting smile.
Even though I know he’s entirely serious right now. That smile doesn’t hide the honesty of his words that swirl through my chest.
“Sinister, you don’t have to do that every morning.” Myla presses her palm to the demon’s back, and the two beam sweetly at one another. “I was going to ask Arlow to help but it looks like you beat her to it.” Her smile falters just slightly when she turns her attention to me.
Long red hair brushes against her smooth porcelain complexion. A pink shade constantly warms her high cheek bones and makes her look even more gentle.
This kind woman, who welcomes a demon right into her home, offers him a place to sleep on her couch from time-to-time, and laughs and enjoys his company—she hates me.
It’s difficult to swallow that down. There are no snide remarks or hateful glares. It’s just in the little things that would be so easy for me to ignore if they didn’t feel so monumental for me and Kain.
“Sorry, I was down at the lake this morning.”
“Those boys are going to freeze their tails off in that water.” The shine of her red hair gleams as she shakes her head.
“I said the same thing.” An awkward smile pushes against my lips, it’s there but it’s hard to reach. Smiling shouldn’t be this hard, should it?
“Are you eating here this morning, dear, or next door with Helen and the boys again?”
Helen loves me. It’d be so easy to sneak away from this tension filled room and spend the morning with Helen.
My determination won’t allow that though.
“I’d love to join you if you have enough.”
She has enough. Kain makes sure his mother has more than enough. He takes care of her and helps her and makes me want to do the same. I want to feel needed here. I want to be here but more than that I want them to want me to be here.
It’s a stupid, childish feeling that I can’t seem to shake no matter how much I hate it.
“Of course. I didn’t expect you to say yes, so I’ll have to get another plate.” At the sound of her happy words, my chest tightens but I don’t know why.
I can win her over.
I can. I just don’t know how.
Sinister rolls his wrist and a white plate appears in his hand. Myla’s perfect teeth show fully when she smiles an excited look at her favorite fucking demon and his pompous magic.
The show off.
“Thank you, Sinister.” She takes it from him and sets it down at the last empty chair.
My stomach knots just thinking about what the four of us will talk about.
The door clicks closed and Kain lingers there for a moment. In the bright lighting it’s easier to see the dust and dirt lining his pale skin. He doesn’t take a step farther into his mother’s perfectly clean house.
“Alloex asked if Chaos, Rime, and I could try to fix his hunting bow before his classes this morning. I’ll be back but just start without me.”
No!The desperate word echoes on, dragging out the until it’s all I hear in my head. Even as I smile at him.
Does it really take four dragon shifters to fix one bow? Really?
I fidget just slightly where I stand, contemplating latching on to his leg and letting him walk me out of here like a clump of mud clinging to the side of his boot.
“Have fun,” I say instead. Picture perfect girlfriend smile in place.
Goddess, I hate myself right now.
Kain pauses at the sound of my croaking voice. He looks from me to Myla and then back again. Carefully he walks across the glossy wooden floor. His fingers tangle with mine just before his lips brush over my mouth. It’s a surprising feeling of quick intimacy. It’s something I haven’t felt from him in so long I meld against his hard chest in an instant.
