Page 20 of Ashes and Lilies
The instant Miles moved to leave the kitchen, I rushed past him and got to the front door first.
Julian was hanging up his coat. He looked around with a wary expression. I knew how he felt. I was concerned, too. It had been hard to miss the very odd things Miles told Julian over the phone.
Miles believed something was wrong with me. I had just been thinking that myself. And now, here was proof.
Even though I tried so hard to hide my particularities,I’d failed.
Unless, of course, the problem was Miles. Which meant I was further on my road to normalcy than I previously believed.
It was terrible of me to wish, but I hoped it was him.
Either way, something was the matter. But I was certain that Julian could fix it.
I grabbed his shirt, hardly registering the feeling of the stiff fabric under my fingertips. My heart sank as our eyes met. I was so scared that I wasn’t certain where to begin. “Julian,” I said, my voice pathetically breathless. “I don’t know—”
But Miles had been right on my heels. He grabbed Julian by the arm and pulled him toward Damen’s living room while muttering in what sounded like French.
Julian allowed himself to be led but made a point of looking disapprovingly at Miles. I was pulled passively along, my dread making it too difficult to resist.
All I could do was hold on to the hope I was overreacting.
Miles released Julian and turned to me. He grabbed my hand and showed me to the couch. Instead of protesting, I sat down obediently.
Meanwhile, Julian continued to watch the two of us. He broke the tense silence once I’d clasped my trembling hands in my lap.
“Miles.” He frowned at him. “What are you—”
“You sit over there.” Miles pulled Julian’s arm, trying to force him to the seat across from me. Miles was so determined that I knew whatever he had to say was profound. I could feel the knot rising from my stomach to my chest.
Julian, on the other hand, stopped watching Miles entirely. In fact, his bright, blue eyes were suddenly locked on mine.
It happened so quickly that I almost missed it. But within a second, his expression morphed from trepidation to somethingentirely different. A calm washed over him, and before I could inhale, he was sitting beside me.
“Bianca.” He grasped my hands in a surprisingly steady hold. “Whatever Miles wants to say, we’ll get through it together. Nothing will change how we feel about you.”
A sob hitched in my throat. “You can’t promise that.”
“Oh my God. You two are so dramatic and gushy. Just stop. Don’t worry, Bianca, you’re not the problem.” Miles snorted, giving up on trying to manhandle Julian and sitting in one of the armchairs. His face was calmer now, even though his leg was bouncing slightly. “Although, I’m sure perceptions will change after this.”
Julian glared at Miles. “Hey, don’t—”
“Bianca will think differently about us,” Miles interrupted, wringing his hands. “Unless, of course, you’d like to explain to everyone why Bianca has taken a vow of chastity.”
My thundering heart stuttered. What in the world did that have to do with anything?
Julian dropped my hands, his cheeks darkening. “What Bianca chooses to do with her body is her business. It isn’t anyone else’s concern if she decides to—”
“Hold that thought.” Miles held up his hand, cutting Julian off. “As you’ve noticed, Bianca’s been trying to fit in.”
Oh no. I covered my face with my hands, ashamed and wishing I could disappear.
“And on that note, she thinks we’re sworn holy people,” Miles finished boldly. “That is what she’s trying to achieve.”
Julian’s face transformed into shock. “What?”
So, parts of my theory might have been wrong, which sucked because it had made so much sense. Especially with the super clear way Miles described their dating habits and the Xing’s role in this universe.
“Plus, she thinks that Damen is possessed by a demon.” Miles waved his hand in the air. “Lord only knows how she came to that conclusion.”
