Page 285 of Bride of Choice

“Or won’t want to,” Rosa pressed. She had that look on her face, making me think she already had a place in mind.

“I’m not following,” I muttered.

Rosa grinned. “Where were you staying that Rek was reluctant to set foot?”

“Celuk’s.” I knew the answer instantly. “But… I literally just asked him to leave me alone,” I admitted.

Rosa popped up. “So then I’ll go and ask him.”

“I’ll stay here with her until you get back,” Mal offered.

“Wait!” I burst out and shot to my feet.

Rosa glanced my way, askance, as she headed for the door.

“I can’t just ask him to stay at his place because Rek is an asshole and may or may not think to come over here. That’s ridiculous.” Flopping my butt back onto the bed, I sighed heavily.

Mal and Rosa offered me a moment to think this all through.

Closing my eyes, I focused on my breathing, trying to ignore the bullshit tugging at me, burning my eyes, clogging my throat, causing that unmistakable sharp pain in my chest, to admit the truth of the matter, “Rek’s made his choice. I just have to learn to live with it. Without him.” Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I forced the truth past dry lips. “He’s not coming back, and I wouldn’t take him back anyway.”

Glancing around my little hut, the idea of leaving it to avoid him rankled. “Why should I have to leave? Fuck him.” Standing, I stomped my foot on the floor. “I’m staying right here. Fuck him!”

“That’s the spirit,” Mal cheered.

“Are you sure?” Rosa sounded unsure, like she thought tracking down Celuk to ask him to take me in was the better bet, but I didn’t want her to— I couldn’t explain it.

“I’m sure.” Forcing a smile, I motioned that we should all sit at the table. “I’d like company for a bit longer, though, if that’s okay?”

“Of course.” Rosa dragged her chair back to the table and joined me.

Mal followed, pulling a small loaf of bread and assorted sweets from the bag she’d come in with out. “Boog sent me off with the sweets. He thought you might need them. I told him if that doesn’t work I’m sending him after you next,” she teased.

“So he can eat all of my Yetiland barbecue sauce?” I quipped. “Joke’d be on him, I’m fresh out.”

Mal smiled and laughed but her eyes were filled with worry. “I’ll mention that to him and see if maybe he can’t fix that for you.” Jerking her chin towards the array of cookies before us, she teased, “He insists they’re great drenched in barbecue sauce but I’m of a mind I’d rather take his word for it.”

Rosa smiled but didn’t laugh. She was focused on the way my hands shook, my puffy face. Her worry worried me, weird as that sounded.

It felt weird to be joking around at a time like this, when every part of me was screaming and I honestly just wanted to curl up in a ball and bawl my eyes out.

“I think I might just lie down for a bit. Pack some snow in doubled cloth and ease the pulsing in my face.” It was as polite of a please leave so I can wallow in peace as I was capable of.

Mal nodded and stood, taking the hint. “If I know my man, and I do, Boog is probably stress baking right now. I’ll be back with more carb fun and see how you’re doing. If you need anything you know where to find me. Don’t lock us out, eh?”

Ugh. She knew me so fucking well.

“I promise to catch you all up when I’m feeling more human,” I told her.

Mal made her way to the door but Rosa remained seated.

When Mal glanced between us. I waved her off. “One of your fellas is nearby?” I asked, though the question was redundant.

“Khri,” Mal said simply.

“Say hi to him for me, Boog too,” I replied absently.

Walking back over to me, Mal gave me a hug hard enough to make my back crack.

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