Page 32 of The Blood Widow

Sharp intakes of breath erupted around me. I was so lost in my memories and Cole’s eyes that I didn’t understand why. Truthfully, I forgot there were other people here.

Ezra stood, his eyes darkened with rage, his stance shaky. “Why didn’t you tell us that she was the fucking Blood Widow? Is that what was blurred out in your brain?”

Cole stood with a snarl. “You know damn well that magic is binding. I couldn’t even if I wanted to. Besides, if she trusted you, she would tell you. If you want a relationship with her like you say you do, you have to earn it.” He poked Ezra’s chest.

Ezra was slightly taller and wider than Cole, so I gulped and waited. Who would win if they fought? I didn’t know, but it’d be sexy to watch.

I jerked back when both men’s eyes landed on me. “Did I say that out loud?”

Dominic chuckled. “Yep.” He scooted over to kiss my cheek. “Don’t mind Ezra he’s just worried. What you did for his daughter has him nervous.”

I scoffed. “I’d never hurt Rose for being abused. There isn’t a price anyone could give me for that information. Besides, it’d start a war and that’s what I’ve been trying to prevent.”

Cole got down on his knees in front of me. The worried expression was back on his face. “You know who that is?” He pointed to Ezra.

“Yeah, he’s the alpha of all alphas. The motherfucking third family. I knew the moment I saw his eyes. Well, and felt the draw towards him.” I didn’t look away from Cole. This all felt serious, but my mind couldn’t get out of the drunken haze. I knew I wasn’t saying anything good, but I didn’t understand why it mattered.

I needed to go to bed.

“Tell me the truth. Did you tell anyone about him?” His tone was desperate. Why? My ghoul shouldn’t look so worried. I brushed his reddish hair out of his face. “Focus. Did you tell anyone about Ezra?” he repeated.

I shook my head. “Nope. I told my brownie that I accidentally portaled to his place, but she helped me clean up the mess his daughter left behind. She did such a good job, Cole. Rose ripped him to shreds. There was so much blood.”

The room’s energy evaporated letting me breathe easier. The men relaxed, sitting back down. Ezra pointed his finger at Cole with a warning, but I was too out of it to care.

Dominic seemed to have a good idea. His eyes closed as he yawned.

“I’m gonna go check on Brian and go to sleep,” I said.

I swayed on my feet standing up. Ezra’s large hands gripped my waist. I glanced back to thank him.

“We’re going to need to talk about this, Novem,” he said. “I want to trust you. I really do, but I’d lose Rose if you decide to betray me. I can’t lose any more people I love.”

I nodded, put my hands on both sides of his face, and kissed his nose. I had to reassure him, even though my memory on the matter was fuzzy. “The Blood Widow could drown in the secretsshe has. It’s against everything I stand for to hurt Rose or bring about a war.”

My tongue swiped over his lips. Why? I have no fucking clue, but the answering needy growl was beautiful. “Night, night wolfy.”

As I stumbled toward the bedroom I heard Cole whisper, “She’s going to kill me when she remembers everything tomorrow. We need to have a second bottle for the women that isn’t as strong. I don’t think she understands what just happened.”

“It doesn’t matter if she’s mad. We know her secret, and we need to keep her safe, so it stays a secret. I’m still all in with Novem. The fact she’s a lot deadlier doesn’t change anything.” Dominic’s sleepy voice was husky and deep.

The last thing I heard before laying in front of Brian’s door was, “Same.”

The hard wood floor wasn’t welcoming, but it was familiar as I curled up in front of the bedroom. Maybe one of these days, I’d use a blow-up bed like Bell kept nagging at me to do.

But I always had to live and learn the hard way.

Chapter

Seventeen

My head was pounding as my eyes fluttered open. What the hell was going on? Did I get hit by a bus? I groaned as I rubbed my temples. A soft snore in front of me had me freezing. Dominic was so close I was surprised I didn’t feel his breath on my face. His hand was on my hip. The little smile he sported was cute, but I could tell by the even breaths coming from him that he was really sleeping. An arm around my torso with the scent of a familiar manly musk told me Cole was curled around my back.

When did they join me last night, and why didn’t I wake up? I never slept comfortably around strangers. It took me a while to even feel comfortable with Cole near me.

I jumped slightly at a melodious grumble above my head. My eyes snapped up to see Ezra’s calm sleeping features. What was he doing here? The huge man did not look comfortable at all, curled into a ball in the hallway.

It was too early in the morning for this. Why were they here? Did I have nightmares again and wake them up? If that was the case, I understood Cole being here. He was too kind of a person to let me suffer alone. But why did the other two follow? They had cushions and blankets in the living room. No one ever choseto sleep on the bare floor but me. After being on the run for years, the floor didn’t bother me.

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