Page 79 of Tower

“Then I’m going to get Hunter and tell him you were putting your nose where it doesn’t belong.”

That seemed to get Jaelynn’s attention. Azalea noticed similarities between how Hunter spoke with Jae and how Peter addressed her. She hadn’t gotten the nerve to ask about it yet, but she decided she’d need to soon.

“Bully,” Jae said and stalked off. “In the front room, Azalea. Make sure you shut the door,” she called over her shoulder and disappeared down the hall.

“Five minutes,” Damien told Azalea. “Then I’m coming in.”

“Damien.” Azalea pressed a flat hand to her brother’s chest. “Let me handle Peter.”

“You’re not alone now, Azalea,” he said with his eyes softening.

“She hasn’t been alone for weeks.” Peter’s voice set Azalea’s body on edge.

“It’s about damn time you showed up,” Damien snapped. Giving Azalea a supportive look, he pointed at Peter. “You have five minutes.” He patted Azalea’s hand and headed out of the room. She and Peter were alone in the kitchen.

Turning to face him, she couldn’t have been prepared to see him. A black patch covered his left eye, a stitched wound covered several inches of his left cheek. He hadn’t shaved in days; black stubble covered his chin and neck. The black T-shirt clung to his muscular torso and showcased the dark-inked tattoos covering his arms.

And he was wearing jeans.

“You’re wearing jeans.” The thought popped out of her mouth.

Peter huffed a light laugh. “That’s what you comment on? Not the pirate patch?”

“It’s just you never wear jeans. You always wear slacks.”

“Seems meeting you has made me start doing a lot of things I don’t normally do.” He moved toward her, filling the space with his presence.

She’d promised herself if he ever did show up again, she would harden herself to him. She would blow him off as easily as he’d tossed her aside. Unfortunately, the rest of her body hadn’t gotten the memo. Her heart already picked up its pace, and her skin craved his touch.

“Does it hurt?” she asked, looking at the patch.

“Not anymore.” He touched the edge of the patch. “Just waiting for everything to heal so I can get a glass eye.”

“I don’t think they’re made of glass anymore.” What the hell were they doing talking about his damn eye? Shouldn’t she be yelling at him for abandoning her?

“Well, we’ll find out,” he said, taking another step and yanking the neckline of the turtleneck down to see her throat. She didn’t stop him. The tiny bit of his touch on her neck felt too good to turn away. She twisted her head to give him a better view.

“It doesn’t hurt so much now,” she assured him when he didn’t say anything.

“I will never forgive Damien for killing that witch,” he muttered.

“He was protecting me.”

Peter let her turtleneck go and captured her face in his palms. His dark eye met hers and locked her in place. “I wanted to kill her. I should have shot her at the house. I never should have let her take you.”

Azalea wrapped her hands around his wrists, but didn’t move him.

“Why did you wait to see me? I waited for you. I kept expecting you to show up, and you never did.” Her voice wavered, but she pressed on. “After everything that happened, you just walked away. What are you here for?”

“You.”

“Me?” She pushed his hands away and walked around the kitchen island, knowing if she didn’t put something physical between them, she’d fall for his touches again. “Like you can just take me again?”

“No.” He shook his head and stuffed his hands into his pockets. “I promised you’d always have a choice. And you do. I should have come to you the second I woke up. I never should have waited. I was an asshole.”

She felt her jaw drop and snapped her mouth closed. “I think I’ve mentioned that to you before.”

He grinned. “Yeah, you have. But this time, I agree. I was a complete fucking asshole for not running to your side. I thought you’d be glad to be rid of me. No more having to stay with me. With Gothel gone, and now you have a brother—I thought you would rather have him, start over without all the memories I would bring with me.”

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