Page 66 of Scars Run Deep

“If I make a move solely off emotion, I’ll miss key things, I’ll be unable to discern the bigger picture.”

He didn’t do anything solely based off emotion.

Sometimes it was a factor, yeah, because he was still human, despite all his efforts to tamper that down. Unfortunately for him, for all his trying, things just didn’t work that way.

But doing this, in the way he was, with the intention to basically bind her to us… it seemed solely based in his feelings for her.

I just couldn’t trust that it was.

Alas, at the same time, I couldn’t determine what the other rational, strategic, and big-picture purpose could be.

She was already with us from a strategic perspective, allied on this mission.

Unless… was he needing to make damn sure he proved himself to her to make her feel secure in our alliance?

Or, was it a preemptive measure? Had he done something, or planned something, that would upset her or threaten our relationship with her?

Fuck, with him there were just too many options.

Until I had more to go on, likely, until time passed, there was just no way of knowing, because he’d never tell me outright. If he’d done anything to hurt her and jeopardize things, he was well aware that I wouldn’t stand for it more than anybody else.

So, for now, I had to run with it and believe that him presenting her with the skull ring was rooted in the pure intention of officially making her ours.

“I’ll see what I can do about pulling Jonah aside. Last I heard, they were behind by an hour.”

“An hour? What happened?”

“I’m not sure. I tried to walk into the kitchen, only to be shooed away by Aurora. I caught a glimpse of Jonah’s chef jacket covered in what looked like relish.”

“Relish? That sounds promising.”

Him and his love affair with burgers—and fast food in general.

“Anyway, that’s why I was out riding. They’d banned me from the kitchen and I was bored, so I figured I’d make it two rides in one day.”

“What about studying?”

“It’s already done.”

“What?”

“Everything for next week. Readings, assignments, projects. The whole shebang.”

“How?” he asked, not bothering to hide his incredulity.

“What can I say? Aurora’s a good study buddy.”

“I see,” he said, the corner of his mouth turning up. “You just needed the right motivation.”

“Doesn’t everyone?” I responded, wryly. “Nah, it’s not just that. It’s having the façade gone, all that weight lifted off, actually being able to be myself, to act as I want, to feel as I want.” I eyed him. “For things to be real for the first time in a really long fucking time, Ash.”

Surprising me, he smiled and came to me and grasped my shoulder. “I know. And I’m glad this alteration has helped you.”

“Yeah, I was kind of on the edge before.”

He nodded.

And then his smile fell.

---