Page 70 of Taken By Touch and Torment

“Mom wanted her to have cozy socks,” Snow announced as she entered the secluded living room she, Uriah, Sadie, Mason, and I had inhabited every night since Scarlett made contact. We sat in wait for word from Hatham together. “Because cozy socks make everyone feel just a little bit better about life.”

Snow held up two pairs of soft-looking socks—light gray and white—before slowly lowering them. She paced back and forth in front of the fire. Uriah watched her like a child seeing a kitten for the first time.

“That’s very kind of her,” he said with a smile.

This drew a bewildered look from Mason and an amused one from Sadie.

Mason had wormed her way back into my most favored. Her time on the outs had made her even more effective than she was already, which worked for Scarlett’s benefit. And I cared far more about that than useless grudges that served no one.

“Whiskey on the rocks,” Sadie said with a snap.

Oh yes, how could I have forgotten her lap dog Cliff—who’d been resting his head on Sadie’s thighs and staring up at her like she was the planet he orbited.

He was quick to rise and go fetch.

“Where’s the other one?” I asked, rolling my neck and stretching out my feet on the black leather ottoman. Sadie had also brought a leopard shifter woman with her.

“Kitten is off playing, no doubt collecting kisses from scary vampire women.” Sadie shrugged. “She’s been good this week.”

Mason swallowed, crossing her arms and looking away.

Before I could dissect that reaction, Snow stopped pacing and looked at me. “How are you doing, Rune?”

How was I doing?

I stared at her, bewildered as I always was when Snow directed her sentimentality toward me. Even if only my most trusted men and women sat in this room with me, I felt overwhelming discomfort at their prying gazes.

The truth was that ever since Scarlett had disappeared in my arms, I’d barely slept, plagued by visions of her with Durian and his men. Seeing her in the flesh had ruined me. I was a man destroyed, haunted by my glaring failure to protect what I loved most.

Just as I’d failed my sisters.

This was exactly why I’d maintained distance for centuries, refusing to get too close to anything or anyone that had the ability to break me.

Snow’s eyes dropped to my tightened grip on the arms of my chair, my shadows trembling against the muscles of my forearms.

“When we receive word from Hatham, I’d appreciate if you could pick up her favorites from the bakery,” I said to Snow instead of answering her question. “All that sugary nonsense she loves. And food with substance so she doesn’t make herself sick.”

Everyone stared at me, but I only thought of Scarlett. I imagined her features lit up with pure, innocent delight. Her charming surprise and gratitude at even the smallest romantic gestures, the discomfort she displayed when I showered her with gifts—which was half the reason I spoiled her so exorbitantly.

I knew that she wasn’t going to be able to give me that giggle I was insatiably obsessed with, nor her heart-melting smile. Not for a while. But she still deserved every single pleasure, big or small, until she felt safe again. Until she felt like herself again.

“I’ll pay Penn double for every item,” I added.

“Of course, Rune,” Snow said quickly. “She’d do it for free. She loves Scarlett. We all do.”

I nodded. “Thank you.” My tight shoulders dropped an inch. “She’s easy to love.”

Sadie clicked her nails against her glass of whiskey, and Cliff settled back down into his position. She stroked his blond hair with her free hand.

“She’s already won my favor,” Sadie announced. “And that’s hard to do even when I’ve known someone for years.”

Uriah snorted. Sadie judged people at first glance, and as infuriating as that trait could be, I had to admit her instincts were never wrong.

She grinned. “She had Brennan hopelessly under her magick at that meeting. And she already has Kole in her back pocket after a matter of days? She’s incredible, Rune. She’s going to make for a powerful asset. If we could ensure this rescue goes smoothly, then perhaps she could retain her hold?—”

“She’s not an asset,” I growled. My shadows leaped from my skin to crawl down the leather chair. “I don’t give a single fuck how the rescue goes as long as she is back by my side by the end of it.”

Sadie moved Cliff’s head off her lap and stood. The lights flickered, and the floorboards rumbled. Uriah rose and moved closer to Snow.

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