Page 213 of Bride of Choice

Afterwards, he made a hasty exit. I’d expected as much, so it shouldn’t surprise Bum-bum any when I lifted my head and shouted, “Coward!” after him.

Sitting up, I jerked my jacket off my head and slid it on. As if nothing had happened, I stood, walked on jellied limbs across the room, and tipped my head at Rek as if this was some sort of polite historical and not the mess that is my life, and with a shove at his door, sending it toppling, I lifted the hem of my gown carefully and stepped barefoot out into the cold. Walking around to the side of Rek’s hut house, I collected my dropped items and would have scurried off if Rek didn’t come barreling around the corner, snatch me up, and drag me back inside.

“What that? What that happen now?” he demanded to know.

“Fuck if I know! You were there, too! You tell me!” I shot right back.

Pacing in front of the door, my only viable exit, he grumbled, “He- Him… take Joanie, make Rek watch?!”

“Oh, like I asked him to!” I shot back. Waving at his peter, I gave him a look. I’d like to see him try and deny he hadn’t been invested in that, whatever the hell that was.

Was that all a power play, perhaps? Let him know who was in charge? Rek was no stranger to displays of dominance— he’d tried to and failed many a time! I said none of this. I was a bit fuzzy on Bum-bum’s motives myself. He loves me, he loves me not. Make up your damn mind, biggun!

“I need a shower and a mug of tea the size of my ass,” I muttered, still tingling in all the right places.

Rek grunted and walked to the stove to put a pot of water on. Before I could ask what he thought he was doing, he grumbled, “Jo wash. Rek fix door. Make no-baby tea for Jo.”

Narrowing my eyes suspiciously, I muttered, “Why?”

“Jo want have big, ‘normous baby from stupid head?” His gaze darted up and down my length worriedly, like he just couldn’t comprehend me carrying Bum-bum’s monster baby to term and living to tell I’d birthed it.

Honestly, I was a bit skeptical on that one too, considering our size difference. “You don’t have a shower,” I said finally.

“Rek have bathed tub,” he grunted out, motioning down the hall as he set a dainty looking tea cup I’d never seen before and a matching saucer out.

Walking down the hall, I muttered, “Whomever’s house you stole all this shit from, I hope they don’t miss it much.”

Rek did indeed have a tub, a big metal one with a setup similar to Kooky’s. He’d really gone all out on his place.

“Jo know how work?” Rek grunted from the other end of the hall.

Glancing from him to the bath tub, I bit my lip. Did I dare?

Rek held up his hands. “No trick. Rek stay in kitchen. Jo have bath.”

“I could always slip into the love- uh, the underground cave and bathe in one of the pools down there.”

“No!” Rek barked. Clearing his throat, shaking his head, he rumbled, “No go down there no more.”

“Why?” My brow pinched and I made a face.

“It no work,” he grunted out, gaze darting away.

“Are you just saying that so I’ll bathe in your bath tub?”

“No.”

I believed him but there was something off. “Did it cave in?” I wondered aloud. It pinched my heart to even contemplate it.

“No,” Rek said slowly, guiltily.

Swallowing thickly, past the bile threatening, I asked softly, “Rek… what happened?”

Rubbing at the back of his neck, Rek grimaced. “Rek mad…”

I could guess the rest. I didn’t want to think about it. “I’ll take a bath here, if that’s still fine.” I couldn’t help but choke up as I spoke. He’d destroyed our love nest.

Rek nodded, and I turned to disappear inside the large room with a sloping floor and small drain.

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