Page 70 of Reflections of Peonies
Everyone would move in at this rate, and I’d never have a minute to myself again.
“You don’t even know how to take care of her!” Finn didn’t answer my question and instead launched into his grievances. He lowered his face into his hands and ran his fingers through his hair. “This is going to be a disaster.”
“What in the world are you talking about?” I asked, twirling my pen between my fingers. “You’re the one she’s mad at—not me. You should have said something two years ago when you had the chance, and a lot of this could have been avoided.”
“It wouldn’t have changed anything.” Finn looked pointedly at me. “You’re stillyou.”
I almost dropped my pen. “What?”
“Again.” Finn sighed and leaned forward. “You’re going to hurt her.”
“This is the third time you’ve said this.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “And, quite frankly, it’s starting to piss me off. I’ve done absolutely nothing wrong, and I would never hurt her.”
“You’re obnoxious,” Finn said, shrugging. “And you’re an idiot because you keep avoiding Jameson because he hurt your precious feelings. You’re too flashy and touchy, and she can’t handle that. You’re going to do something stupid andhurt her.”
I felt my eyebrow twitch at the sound of the man’s name. “I think you’re greatly underestimating her,” I told him, choosing not to address the accusation regarding my training.
“You have no idea,” Finn said, slumping into his seat. “You’re going to undo everything I’ve worked for because you won’t stop flirting!”
Oh, so that was his problem.
“I will not hold back in showing her affection,” I said. “I don’t care if it bothers you. It’s not any of your business anyway. However, she and I have discussed this matter in detail, and I’ll have you know that shelikesit.”
Finn scoffed and crossed his arms. “I know her better than you do.”
“And you cannot control her forever,” I told him. “She needs room to grow while maintaining a nurturing, supportive environment.”
“That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard!” Finn looked to the ceiling. “She needs someone to tell her no! Not to encourage her to push more boundaries. You seriously have no idea what you’re getting into.”
I frowned at him.
“But also—” he glared at me. “You also need to think this through. She’s your weakness, and you’re just showcasing it—and at the worst possible time, too!”
My fingers went numb as my pen fell to the desk. I’d known this, of course, but…
I didn’t think it was so apparent to the outside world.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Finn said. “What do you think Daniel would have done if he knew you were in love with her?”
My mouth went dry.
Finn touched his head and closed his eyes. “Oh my God, it’s so obvious! And you’re too stupid to see it. If you really cared about her, the four of you would stay away—for more reasons than one.”
My heart began to pump once more, and my pulse thrummed. “I—I can’t.”
Finn let out a long sigh, and when he opened his eyes again, he braced his elbows on his knees as he looked to the floor. “I know that,” he conceded. “You guys need her, and she needs you. And, yeah, maybe she does need your brand of… affection. There’s no way I’d be brave enough to do it.”
I frowned at him again.
“But,” he began and looked at me. The earnest plea in his eyes made my throat close. “Please,please, be careful. It’d be way too easy to break her.”
12
Bianca POV
“You’re healing rather nicely,”Julian remarked as he zippered his bag. “I feel much better now that the marks on your arms have disappeared. You’ll still have tenderness around your shoulder for a while, but thankfully, it wasn’t a deep wound. I’ll let my mother know.”
“Okay,” I replied, looking down at my lap.
