Page 68 of The Magic of Betrayal
Steam was rising out of the water and my skin actually tingled in anticipation of getting in and washing away the pain of the day.
He put me down, still standing close. "It's a natural spring, I just had the rest of the bathroom built around it. I thought you might like it?" Bram questioned, sounding vulnerable. But I wasn't able to speak yet. My throat hurt, my face was raw from crying, my eyes were still stinging. So instead of answering, I just began kicking my shoes off and pulling my shirt over my head.
"Goldie, can I take care of you? Please?"
I didn't answer, I just shimmied my pants down my thighs and stepped out of them, leaving me in my bra and panties.Was any of it real?
My lungs wouldn't inflate, and I felt like I was trying to breathe through a straw, a keening sound came out of my throat. I felt like I was underwater, everything was muted and then Bram's face was in front of mine, his lips moving, but I couldn't make out his words for a moment.Need to breathe.
"Breathe, princess," Bram encouraged, his hands rubbed my back and I buried my face into his chest and sobbed.They used me, they gave me to Larson, why would they do that? Why?Tears just continued falling as Bram stripped down to his boxers, lifted me into his arms once more, and carried me into the water.
He walked us out to the center, his height easily kept us both well above the water. Heat enveloped my body, the water was hot, and I imagined if I could feel things right now, it might feel great. As it was, exhaustion just set in further, making me feel like a boneless jellyfish.
"I know it hurts, Goldie. It will all be okay," Bram cooed, standing me on my feet and encouraging me to lean my head back to get my hair wet. I did as he wanted without a fight. He procured shampoo from somewhere and began massaging my scalp gently. I watched on as my tears hit the water, creating small ripples. With how I felt on the inside, the small physical disturbance that my heartbreak caused just didn't seem anywhere near enough. A tsunami wouldn't be enough.
"Want to hear something ridiculous? I had no idea who you really were. It wasn't until I saw you walk out of that grocery store and caught sight of you." He continued rubbing my head gently, moving down to my neck and massaging me there. "I followed you to your shop. You know, I called and called that number you put in my phone. I was worried, Goldie. When I realized that you were the woman that my team was claiming, I was angry. So, so fucking angry..." Bram trailed off, pushing me back to rinse the soap from my hair. I just floated there, letting him wash me. “That’s why I said what I did in your bathroom. I wanted you to feel like I did. My heart fuckin’ hurt,” he admitted, shaking his head.
Steam rose up from the water, swirling in mesmerizing patterns. Bram cleared his throat, but I didn’t move or give any signs of life. My lip trembled and I wanted to slip under the water and wait for this to pass.
"When Khol told me that he had a daughter, I couldn't believe it. I told you how our people have been having difficulty in the past years with fertility. Then he sent me to this tiny town, which was the absolute last thing I'd wanted to be doing because I couldn't get you out of my head. Don't you think this was written somewhere in the stars, Goldie? You and me?" he murmured softly, his touch soft and caressing.
He righted my body and went to work with the conditioner, it smelled exactly like the kind I used at home.Home.My heart stuttered in my chest, clenching tightly as I thought of Gran.Oh gods, Gran.She would be devastated when she found out about this. She'd already lost her daughter to demons, and now she'd find out I actually was one. Would I lose my green witch magic? I didn't think I could cope with that life.
"Shh, princess. Seeing you cry makes me feel seven shades of homicidal and there's nobody around for me to kill. Let me rinse your hair, hmm?” He poured water over my head and I kept my eyes closed. He continued talking but I wasn’t paying attention, all I could focus on was the shaking of my body.I think I’m in shock.“You're the first hope our people have had in a century, and things you don't understand yet are about to change for you. We won't be here forever, but you do need to be here to learn. I promise, this isn't as bad as it seems.”
Bram continued his pampering and he didn't push me to talk or make any demands. I allowed his lying ass to take care of me because I was exhausted. The energy for conversation eluded me, and I had no desire to dig deep and search for it. After we were done in the large pool, he carried me out and wrapped me in a huge towel before ushering me back through to his massive bedroom. I found myself parked firmly on the bed, my hair hanging limply around my shoulders, little drops of water making their trek downward before landing on the towel.
I must have been lost in my head when his bare feet suddenly moved into my line of sight.Where had he gone?"Do you need help getting your wet clothes off, Goldie? I won't touch you, or look, I just want to take care of you," Bram asked quietly.
Lifting my gaze to his for the first time since the shit show in that conference room, I mindlessly mapped his face, trying to gauge his sincerity. He'd already seen me naked, so what did it matter? What did anything matter?I'm a fuckingdemon.
I stood and let the towel fall, turning to let him unhook my bra. He made quick work of it and I pulled it off, dropping it at my feet. Bram brought the towel up around me once again, drying my back and I dried my breasts, quickly, using my other hand to slip my soaked panties down.
"Here, princess. I know you love nightgowns," he told me, dropping one over my head and letting me slip my arms through before tugging it down as he pulled the towel away so I was fully covered.
Glancing down, I noted that this was a t-shirt style nightgown, my favorite. It was cream with a variety of cacti printed on it, along with the words, "Don't be a prick". Normally, I would have loved this. Yesterday, I would have laughed at the pun and been excited to have a new nightie. Now? I climbed into Bram's big ass bed and slipped under the covers, not even bothering to brush my hair.
The lights dimmed and I stared at the wall for minutes, or maybe it was hours? Time was irrelevant. I was no longer feeling time or anything at a normal rate. Everything was muted. So when the bed dipped and I felt Bram climb into bed behind me, I didn't move. When he started brushing my hair out, I blinked. And when he started humming softly, I cried silently. Then, when he slipped down beside me and pulled me against him, I slept.
* * *
My eyes flew open.Something wasn't right. I mean, this entire situation wasn't right, but something with me. Feeling numb clearly wasn’t an option for my body anymore, it felt like my very cells were zinging and rioting. My skin felt tight and hot, my nails were already digging their way into my neck and chest, trying to alleviate a persistent itch. Bram startled awake beside me, my restlessness wasn't just a disturbance to my own sleep, unfortunately. My other hand snaked down and clawed at my thighs, I was so fucking itchy.
"What the hell is going on?" Bram questioned, leaning over to put on the bedside lamp. The room lit up enough to where we could easily see each other and my hands were under the covers furiously scratching. Adrenaline was pumping through my veins now and I writhed beneath the blankets seeking friction.
His eyes widened as he dragged his gaze from my face down to where the covers were jerking with my frantic movement.
"Oh my, my, my. You are a dirty little birdy, aren't ya?" He brought his fist up to his mouth and bit down on it.The hell is he talking about?
"Shut up and help me," I whined.
"Oh stars, fuck yes!" Bram shouted and dove underneath the covers, his lips hit my hip half a second later and I jerked my hand and smacked him in the face.
"Hey, what was that for?" he shouted, but it was muffled through all the blankets.
"Get. Out. Of. There." I growled, and suddenly his face popped out from under the blankets.
"I thought milady was in need of assistance? I mean, that was a pretty quick one eighty from the tear typhoon that went down just hours ago, but what Goldie wants, she gets," he smirked devilishly and licked his bottom lip, and my mouth fell open.
