Page 66 of Fragile Heart

For some reason, my eyes wander back to Ethan. His eyes are locked on me, a muscle ticking in his cheek from how hard he’s clenching his jaw. His beard is more unkempt than I’ve seen it over the last month. I’ve never been with someone that has facial hair. He didn’t have onebefore. Or even when I was here for Brandon’s funeral and Kayla was still alive.

Would it leave scratches behind on my skin? It had felt… really, really good when he kissed me yesterday.

Desire races through me in one hot, consuming wave. I force a swallow and drop my eyes, picking at the hem of my shorts.

“I think I’m going to get it covered,” I say once I’m sure my voice won’t shake.

Faedra looks around Olivia. “You’ve decided to do it?” she asks.

I offer a shrug. “Maybe? Probably. I’m just not sure what I’d get instead.”

“What about something that reminds you of something that makes you happy?” Olivia offers.

“Or something that shows off a new start,” Melissa says. “Because fuck Brett.”

I can’t help but laugh at the vehement fire in her voice, like she’s spitting out something disgusting.

Faedra leans around Olivia and grabs my knee. “Yes,” she says, just as passionate as Melissa. “Something to get him off your skin forever.”

“I agree,” Caleb whispers, his lips brushing the shell of my ear. “Fuck him and every mark he’s left on you.”

I can’t help but shiver as he bites over the tattoo, pulling my skin between his teeth until I gasp. He runs his tongue over the stinging skin. Cinnamon bleeds out from him. Melissa and Olivia both chuckle. My cheeks heat, but I let myself stay relaxed against him.

Hudson frowns and turns toward me, leaning fully against the rock beside Ethan. “Wait. Who is Brett and why do we hate him?”

Caleb tightens his hold again, his fingers digging into my side. I swallow around the lump in my throat, the panic coming faster than I’ve ever felt it before. It’s never even really beenpanic. Why am I so nervous to have the cold reality of Brett’s betrayal laid out in front of my friends?

My eyes catch on Ethan, and the nervous band around my chest tightens. His eyes are dark, his lips pulled into a heavy frown. His forearms are taut with the strength of his fisting his hands. The soda can in his grip crushes under the pressure.

I drop my gaze and mess with one of the smaller rocks still left on the shore, missed by the kids as they tried to find good stones for skipping.

I’m not ready for Ethan to know just what happened between Brett and me.

“Her asshole of a dead husband,” Faedra says with the same passion as before.

The group grows still. That anxiety ratchets tighter. Caleb presses his lips to the crown of my head.

“And we hate him,” Melissa continues, apparently oblivious to the sudden shift in the atmosphere, “because he was a lying piece of shit.”

The silence grows charged. Somebody growls, low and lethal. I don’t dare look toward Ethan this time even though it’s undeniably him having the possessive, violent reaction. I run my palms down my thighs to keep from shifting in Caleb’s hold. His arms tense around me. Because of course he noticed my nerves.

After a moment, his growl overlays the other.

“Momma? What’s wrong?” Rose asks from her perch on the jumping rock. She’s moved back toward the edge. She kicks her legs where they dangle over the edge.

Logan kisses her head and hands her another rock as he settles beside her again. As she tosses the rock into the water, he whispers, “Just some big people things, Rosebug.”

She frowns even as she takes the rock. “But growls mean someone’s angry. What made anger happen? We were talking about Aunt Brielle’s flowers.”

Faedra and Logan share a long look, and not even I miss all the undercurrents flowing between them.

“Someone hurt Brielle, and Caleb’s upset about it,” Logan offers after an entire minute. Rose tilts her head, looking between her parents and the two growling Alphas. “Remember how we talked with Aunt Violet about how Alphas are very protective of the people they love?”

Love.

The word lances through me, cutting me to the bone. My breath catches in my throat. Caleb’s growl grows stronger.

Rose nods. “So it’s like when Uncle Dominic’s brother got angry with him?” she asks.

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