Page 24 of The Cruelty of Thorns

I was grateful for the distraction of food, and I dug into my burger with uncharacteristic zeal while trying to follow the conversation at the table, but my mind kept going back to Julianus. I had never had the attention of two men before, and had certainly never dealt with male jealousy. Was he really here looking for me?

I recalled the effect of his body pressed against mine and felt a warmth flush through me. I didn’t realize I was smiling until Kristin leaned over to me and asked, “What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing,” I insisted, biting my lip.

“Uh huh,” she said knowingly. “I’m sure he’ll give you something to smile about later if you let him.”

I glanced at Ron and was grateful to see he was deep in conversation with Jack about a video game and hadn’t heard what she said. “Behave yourself,” I hissed.

Kristin laughed and patted me on the arm. “I’m hoping you don’t take your own advice.”

The rest of the evening passed pleasantly as the group at the table, with the exception of me, became progressively more tipsy. The guys tried to top each other in childhood exploits, which had everyone laughing hysterically. When they’d all had enough beer, we walked back to the campus as a group before everyone split off to their respective dorms, though Ron insisted on accompanying Kristin and me back to ours. Kristin excused herself in a move that wasn’t obvious at all, leaving Ron and me alone in front of the steps. Ron said goodnight then reached out and grabbed my hand.

“I had fun tonight,” he said, pulling me closer. When I started to turn away, he leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. It was quick and chaste, no tongue involved, but I pulled back in awe. No one had kissed me since Poe.

“See you in class Monday,” he said with a grin.

He turned and headed off in the direction of his dorm while I stood on the steps and watched, my fingers going to my lips where I could still feel his touch. What was happening here?

When I got up to my room, Kristin was waiting for me with a big grin. “Well?”

“He kissed me.”

“I told you. Now aren’t you glad you went tonight?”

I didn’t know what to feel. Between the kiss and the encounter with Julianus, I had a feeling my life had just become more complicated.

CHAPTER 13

INTERLUDE

A new plan

I SPENT TWO days in bed recovering from my last encounter with the Contessa. During that time the only person I saw was Rosetta, who brought me my meals and on this second day, towels and water to bathe.

“She has been asking about you,” she told me as I dressed in the new underthings she had brought.

I was feeling stronger, able to stand for long stretches at the window before tiring. I liked to watch the old man puttering around in the garden below and wondered what had brought him into the employment of the Contessa. I also wondered that about Rosetta.

“Why are you here?” I asked her as she emptied the used water from the basin back into the urn.

“What do you mean? I come every day.”

“No, I mean here, in the Contessa’s house? What brought you here? Why do you stay?”

She looked down as though ashamed. “The Contessa owns me.”

“Owns you? What do you mean?”

“My parents were very poor. There were ten of us in the family, and there was not enough food to go around. The Contessa saw me one evening while she was passing through our village and offered my father a fair price for me.”

“Your family sold you?” I was incredulous. I had heard of such things happening but never had I known anyone who had experienced it.

“They thought I would have a good home with her. And the money would go far to feed our family.”

“How old were you?”

“Twelve.”

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