Page 67 of Claiming Sarah

Sarah took my hand in hers and gave it a gentle, caring squeeze. Then she reached out for Deacon. He reluctantly came forward and took her free hand.

She looked at me first, genuine contrition in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Jac. I’m sorry something so awful happened to you and that I was cranky with you.”

“Forgiven, always,” I said, and meant it.

“Deacon.” She sighed and glanced up at him. “I’m sorry. I know Rex is a character, and stuff with exes can be weird—”

He stiffened and yanked his hand away. “I don’t talk about my past with him. Ever. Not to anyone.”

“I’m not just anyone,” she said, sounding hurt. “I’m your consort.”

“Not even you,” he replied bitterly, then looked away.

Tears welled in her eyes, and when she started to cry, it broke me. After everything I had been through for the day, I was too weak to try to hold myself together. Hearing her sniffle was a dig into my ghost.

“I would tell you anything, Deacon,” she said, her voice catching on a sob. “Anything at all. Why won’t you do the same?”

“Then tell me this,” he said in a harsh tone as he folded his thick arms over his chest. “Did you let Rex possess you?”

“I…” she looked at me, confusion haunting her still damp eyes. “I didn’t think he could, since we’re united. How—”

“Because we’re united,” Deacon cut in, “you would have tochooseto let him inside of you. Did you?”

“No!” she insisted, looking and sounding wounded because of Deacon’s doubts. “Of course I didn’t!”

“You know she didn’t, Deacon,” I said in a low, warning tone, wanting him to back off. “She didn’t even know it was possible.”

His ire turned to me for a new target. “She could be lying.”

“You need to listen to yourself,” I said, getting back up to my feet to stand off with him. “Sarah has never been anything than completely honest with you, and you go saying something like that? You owe her an apology for that, and you owe me one, too.”

“You?” He scoffed.

I stared at Deacon, not recognizing this self-centered version of him. “I’m tired of seeing you get twisted up over Rex and his bullshit, Deacon. It’s exhausting. You are not yourself around him. The sooner we get done with him the better, and you know it.”

The corner of his lip twitched with a sneer as he glanced from me to Sarah, then back again. “My apologies. I have clearly become too much for the both of you to deal with, and that is unfair for you. You two should sleep in your own quarters tonight. I would not want you to have to deal with me when I am having a hard time of things. My feelings are of no consequence, apparently, and I do not wish to inconvenience the two of you. I will go be by myself now, out of consideration foryourfeelings. And thank you for asking howIam doing with all of this.” He stormed out to the balcony, slamming the door behind himself.

“That passive aggressive jerk!” Sarah sobbed. “He’s such an idiot, and a fool!”

I was inclined to agree with her, but I had bigger problems in mind. It was the only way for me to cope when Deacon was in a snit. I sat next to her again.

“We should just…focus on the conduits and that situation. He’ll calm down.”

“I don’t want him to calm down, Jac!” she said, swiping at the tears that had rolled down her cheek. “I want him to talk to me. I’m his consort. He should be willing to tell me anything, right?”

I sighed, feeling torn between the two people I cared about the most. “In an ideal world, there wouldn’t be anything to tell.”

“What is it between them?” she insisted, then narrowed her gaze at me. “I know you know. You two seem to know everything about each other. What happened? How bad was their break-up?”

I took a deep breath as my stomach churned. It wasn’t my secret to tell. “I would rather keep my eyes on the future, instead of the distant past that doesn’t mean anything right now.” I took her hand in mine, rubbing my thumb along the back of her knuckles to hopefully distract her.

“It means something to me.” She pouted. “Wouldn’t it bother you, if Deacon kept things from you?”

“Yes, but—”

“See? You know everything about him.” She shook her head and looked away, her voice small when she next spoke. “I always feel like I’m playing catch-up with you two.”

My heart genuinely hurt for her. “I’m sure I would feel the same way if you two had known each other forever, and I’m sorry you feel like that, Sarah.”

---