Page 11 of King of the Unsightly

I held my hand up and waved for him not to finish. “Bad date.”

Lucien didn’t seem to buy a word of it as he looked at the dirt covering my hands and knees, and my palms stained and bloody with deep purple bruises forming around my wrists.

Lucien crinkled his nose, and he removed a spiderweb out of my hair, shaking it off his fingers. I was surprised he didn't say anything about the flower crown.

Lucien wiped his hand on his boxers. “Water or hot chocolate?”

“Hot chocolate,” I whispered.

“Go sit down and relax. I’ll be right back.” Lucien walked into the kitchen and started the water on the stovetop.

I followed behind him and plopped down at his kitchen table, nervously tapping my nails. The tears welled at the corners as he turned his back to me and disappeared into the living room. All my pent-up emotions surged through about to break the gates wide open, but I wiped the few ones that escaped. I took one deep breath and pushed my feelings down.

Gren perched on the top of the chair beside me and stared at me for a long second. “You have nothing to fear,” he stated as if it were a fact and something he had control over.

His voice carried so much conviction I almost chuckled.

I gave Gren a silent nod for his effort. He was an odd contradiction. His menacing exterior was deceptive because he was strangely cordial.

The whistling of the tea kettle startled me, and my whole body tensed under the sound.

Lucien strolled back in, and I relaxed back into the chair. His muscular build was now hidden by a baggy gray hoodieand black joggers, and his light blond hair was shoved into a trucker’s hat with only a few stray strands peeking out.

Lucien fixed up the hot chocolate, even dropping in a few marshmallows like I was five and he was nine again. When I went through hell and back at the Kelleys’ house for having a smart mouth—he was always there, comforting me.

Lucien set the hot chocolate on the table and sat beside me. I smiled weakly and mouthed a smallthank you.

Lucien nodded as I clenched the cup in my hand, unable to lift my eyes from the tile. My hands turned clammy, and my pulse spiked.

The pressure returned, enveloping my body tenfold. How could I get out of this crazy cycle? If they kept coming after me, what then?

Lucien grabbed my shoulders, and I flinched; his firm grip startled me, and I flung myself backward. I almost knocked myself over, but he caught the chair before I hit the ground.

Lost in thought, I didn’t realize Lucien moved and now hovered inches from my face. So close his cool minty breath touched my cheek.

Lucien’s eyebrows furrowed. The worry was tangible in his expression.

I averted his gaze like a coward and stared out the bay view window.

Lucien broke the silence first. “You should live with me. You can save money so you can get back on your feet. I’m not saying it’s forever,” Lucien said, attempting to sound persuasive, but it only interrupted my previous thoughts.

The offer seemed tempting, but what if he got caught up in my mess?

I didn’t want to go back to my apartment. It didn’t feel safe, but I also didn’t want to make it dangerous for him here either.Ah,maybe I shouldn’t have come over but ... he was all I had.

I peeked over at Lucien, his face consumed with worry. The tension between us ate away at me and I couldn’t stand it.

Our eyes met, and I grinned like a fool. “Are you going to kiss me or what? I have to warn you, I haven’t brushed my teeth yet,” I teased as I annoyingly poked his cheek.

Lucien took his hat off and slammed it on my head. He tilted the bill down, blocking my vision so I couldn’t see his expression. “You’re so weird. You know that?”

I raised the hat and Lucien seemed more peeved than before.

He turned and fell back onto the chair next to me.

The mood went from serious to playful back to serious in a matter of seconds.

It made me uncomfortable.

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