Page 63 of A Curse On Black Lake
Killian puffs out a breath. “Maybe you’re not the only one with a written family history.”
“You’re probably right. I don’t go out and talk to people about their family history, so I wouldn’t know.”
“Do you go anywhere in town?” he asks.
I close the journal and walk out of the room, with Killian on my heels. “I don’t go anywhere I don’t have to.”
Stopping in the kitchen, I take in the mess I’ve left myself and shrug it off. I’ll take care of it later. It’s one thing I could never do for Grams, clean up after myself. I’m a naturally messy girl, what can I say? We can’t all be perfect.
Killian grabs my arm and spins me to face him. “Are you scared?” he asks me.
I don’t answer right away, and he grabs my chin, sending a bolt of fire down my spine, and my knees wobble. We’re not like that, and I should step out of his touch, but Ican’t.I want to leanin.
“I wouldn’t say scared,” I mumble, avoiding eye contact.
“Sounds like fear to me, little witch.”
I pin him with a glare, and he gives me a mischievous grin before he releases my chin, and my skin feels warm where he touched me. “Things are getting more complicated, especially with Wyatt, so I want you to know I will protect you. This won’t fall back on you. Okay?” he asks.
“I’m not worried about this falling back on me. Maybe I should be, but…”
You shouldn’t be. It is the right path, we are told it is.
“Yeah, whatever,” I mumble.
“Sorry?” Killian says.
I groan. “Not you,them.”
“Oh. But you understand what I’m saying? You wereherewhile I was saying it, right?” he asks.
I snort. “Yes, cowboy, I washere.”
“Sorry I asked,” he grumbles. “But wait, is that the best you can come up with?” he asks with a glint in his eyes.
“I’m sorry, is that not what you are?” I ask him, moving to the sink to start filling it with water.
He chuckles. “Yeah, I guess it is.”
Yeah, it is because the things I would like to call you are far too indecent for friends.
“Do you want to stay for supper?” I ask him.
“I’ll never say no to that. You cook, I’ll clean.”
I spin around with a smile on my face. “That’s exactly what I wanted to hear.”
His eyes trail up my body, and I can feel the blush covering my chest. “You don’t like doing dishes, do you?” he asks, glancing at the mess behind me.
“Nope. Grams would always complain about how messy I am. I don’t love cooking much either, but gotta eat, and I’m not terrible at it so it’s whatever,” I say as a spear of grief goes through my stomach.
“Well, I’m happy to do it,” he says, coming to stand next to me at the sink. “Go ahead, I can do this.”
I smile, biting my lower lip, and open the fridge to figure out what I can make us for supper. It feels good to have someone here with me. This small house suddenly felt massive without Grams in it. No one talks about if you’re the only one left behind.
The sudden singularity is like falling into a grave with no bottom. It’s so deep, so lonely in a solitude that wasn’t asked for, it’s hard not to grasp for anyone willing to stick their hand out andstay.
Killian and I may have been pushed together by a plan that’s much bigger and darker than either of us understand, but he’s here. And of all people, he understands what I’m going through.
