Page 79 of Crushed
Tears were in her eyes. “My mouth stings.” I squeezed her hand, then poked through the dishes, looking for the easiest ones to consume.
“Can you make mashed potatoes?” I asked the woman who had brought me there.
“How about potato soup?” Lizzy asked.
Just then, the door opened, and Cormac entered with an awkward gait, like he was thrusting his chest forward. A tiny human shot out from behind him and attached herself to the back of my legs. I looked down, seeing the familiar dark brown head of hair. My heart swelled.
“Rose!” I said.
“Hiiii,” she said, her voice muffled between my legs. I glanced up at Cormac. He motioned to the room, then mouthed,It’s a lot of new people.
Right. I blinked, staring at him. He had let Rose out of the room. This was likely her first timeeverin this part of the house. It had to be a frightening experience for her.
I eased her out from behind my legs and bent down to her level. “It’s all right,” I said, “You’re safe.”
She peered into me with those green eyes, her expression so much like Cormac’s. “Everything is so loud.”
I’m sure she was used to the quietness of the nursery. I held her in my arms, holding her in a hug. Then I stepped back, letting her see everyone, and squeezed her hand. “Want me to cover your ears?” I asked.
She shook her head. “It’s okay.”
“Oh! Hello there, little one,” Lizzy said, her voice suddenly drenched in sweetness. I smiled. I remembered that voice, before she decided I was old enough for her true sass. “What’s your name?”
“Rose,” she squeaked.
“Rose,” Lizzy said. “That’s a beautiful name. My name is Lizzy.”
Rose shoved her face into my hip again, muffling her voice once more. “Hi Lizzy.”
“Do you want some chocolate pudding? I’m sure there’s a quick box somewhere in this mansion.”
I looked over at Cormac, who was beaming with pride. Did he ever give Rose sugary treats? I expected him to tell Lizzy ‘no,’ but when Rose jumped up and sat on the bed with her, he simply smiled.
I guess being faced with your own mortality put things into perspective.
He eyed me and motioned towards the door. I followed him out. We walked in silence down the corridors, our footsteps echoing against the walls until finally, we came upon a glass door at the corner of the house. He opened it for me, and once we were both outside, he held my hand. The fresh air was cool on my skin. Tall, luscious plants surrounded us. I closed my eyes, enjoying the contrast of the vibrant green with the gray sky.
“So,” I said, breaking the silence. “You blackmailed Issac for what he did to my parents?”
Cormac nodded. I rubbed my thumb along the back of his hand. “I didn’t know who they were, only that they were killed as part of the elimination service.” He lowered his chin. “Their names didn’t seem important at that time.”
That made sense. I didn’t blame him for that. And regardless, knowing another simple fact about their deaths wouldn’t bring them back.
Somehow, I knew they would have wanted me to find love, even if that meant falling for someone I wasn’t supposed to.
Like they had fallen for each other.
“I should have trusted you more,” Cormac said.
“And I should have trusted you.”
“But don’t misunderstand me. I will always want a total power exchange relationship.” His eyes darkened. “But that doesn’t mean your entire life should be mine to control. Where’s the beauty in that?”
Was this the same Cormac I knew? The man who wanted to choose when I spoke to others, and what kind of shampoo I used?
“What about picking out my outfits? Or perfume?”
“That, I still want to do.”
