Page 52 of Brambles and Bellflowers
“Who cares?” I pressed my shaking fists against my thighs as I responded. “It’s not like I don’t have any others.”
For a moment, I didn’t realize I’d said anything wrong.
But then Damen’s demeanor had entirely changed, and his nervous air lifted as he turned into a figure of confident authority. “What scars do you have?” he asked. He dropped the wood and touched my shoulder.
I was used to their touches by now—their subtle affections that’d grown increasingly bold after our quintet connection had been revealed.
But at this moment, I wasn’t ready.
I stepped back and touched my fingertips to the back of my ear. “I—I didn’t mean it.”
“You didn’t mean what?” Damen was frowning at me as he dropped his hand back to his side. “Bianca, you’re not in trouble.”
Julian and Titus were blatantly watching us again. Julian’s tight form radiated animosity, while there seemed to be unsettled violence lingering in the air surrounding Titus.
“Um….” I looked to the woods.
“Is this what Finn was talking about?” Damen asked. “When Daniel Cole had you, he mentioned that you have a scar on your leg.”
I stepped back. “It’s fine,” I told him. “I—I don’t even know how he knew about that anyway.”
“That’s not the point,” Damen replied, his voice firm. “Did someone hurt you?”
I blinked at him. What a stupid question.
“Leave it alone,” Julian cut in. “Why are you choosingnowto say something?”
“Oh, shut up.” Damen’s gray eyes blazed as he looked at the other man. “It’s not like you don’t want to know too.” He turned back to me. “I need to know where these scars came from. Was it someone else?” he asked, his attention dropping to my knees. “Or did you do it yourself?”
“N-no!” My pulse raced, darkness seeping into the edges of my vision. “It was an accident.”
“Fine.” Damen let out a long breath, some of the intensity leaving his expression. “I guess I can live with that.”
“I know you can.” I ducked under his arm, escaping his suffocating presence. There was a space between Titus and Julian—both of whom wore slightly more compassionate expressions—and I moved to them and curled against Titus’s arm.
“But you should know you have no reason to be ashamed.” Damen had followed me, and I felt myself stiffen. “Not many people could survive what you did without a few marks to show for it.”
“Damen!” Julian jumped to his feet.
“This is not the time.” Titus glowered at Damen.
I pressed my face into Titus’s rough flannel shirt as he stood and tried to let the comforting smell of frankincense and cinnamon calm me.
“It’s theperfecttime,” Damen argued. “She’s been avoiding this for weeks, and we’re currently in her element. There is no better time than this.”
“That is not how recovery works!” Julian exclaimed.
“She doesn’t need you to come swooping in between us!” Damen sounded utterly exasperated. “Mu would never have hid—”
“Will you stop comparing me to him?” I released Titus’s shirt. “I might be Mu, but I’m stillme!”
“You can’t separate the two.” Damen crossed his arms. “Mu is the core personality of who you are. Whether you accept it or not,you’re the same person.”
“And you’re anass!” I was quivering with fury, and my vision tunneled on the man in front of me. Was this a part of him trying to fight me? Because I totally would.
“I’m trying to help you.” Damen stepped closer, his voice rising with frustration. “Why won’t you just let me?”
“What—” My heart raced, anger surging through me. If I thought about my words for even a moment, I’d hate myself for them. But thinking wasn’t an option right now. “What do you get out of it?”
