Page 86 of Legendary

I walked over to the arm of the couch and sat down on it. “If she really wants to go by herself, then that’s fine. I just don’t want her to, I just….” I trailed off, speaking more to myself as if I needed to convince my own brain that it was the truth.

Beetee came over and placed her small hand on my shoulder. “We know, Nicholas. If you thought you were hiding your feelings, well, I’d think again.”

DANI

Iheard pacing outside my door. I waited, hands on my hips and a need to cause pain boiling right at the surface. The shuffling of feet had never annoyed me as much as it did right now. I wanted to remove those feet and string them up on a very, very tall tree. I felt my fingertips buzzing, the shadows blaring and alarming me that something had to be done about the disrespect and simple lack of self-awareness.

Knock, knock.

I tilted my head back to look at the ceiling, willing myself to get my emotions in check. I was in no mood to see his face or hear his voice, but I wasn’t totally unreasonable. I walked over to the door and yanked it open, startling the big, mouthed blonde on the other side. I made sure to give him a disinterested expression as he looked down the hall towards the stairs and then back to me.

“I was told I needed to come and talk to you.”

I let my mouth drop open in disbelief. “Wow. Should I behonored by your presence or something? Are you going to tell me someone told you to say that you’re sorry as well?”

His lack of words told me all that I needed to know. “Yeah, get the fuck away from my door.” I went to close it in his face, but he caught the door before it closed completely and shoved it open. I let out a frustrated sigh and turned my back to him. I heard him close the door before I peeked behind me slightly to see him leaning back against it.

“I should have chosen my words better, alright. I shouldn’t have made it sound like you were…”

“A demon who spreads her legs for any dick that shows interest in her?” I offered, turning all the way around to look at him.

He groaned. “Yeah that. I know this is going to sound shitty, but you are confusing as hell.”

“Me?” I questioned, pointing to myself.

“Yes, you. One minute you’re grinding up on Nick, the next you’re straddling your demon ex-boyfriend, which he nearly popped a blood vessel over and then you're spending the entire night with Nick like it didn’t happen. Now all of sudden you want to go it alone and have one-on-one time with your ex again, I just don’t get it.” He threw up his hands as if to say he knew I might get upset, but those were his points, and he was sticking by them. When he laid it out the way he did, it didn’t sound the greatest, but what I did and how I moved wasn’t really his business.

“How I handled the Dimitri situation wasn’t perfect, I’ll admit it, but Nick and I have already moved past it, so I suggest you do as well. I don’t care if you do because, guess what, it doesn't involve you.”

He ran his hands through his hair, pulling at some of the pieces. “Not literally, but in some ways it does, because you weren’t next to him while he watched you, Dani. I’ve never seen him look so fucking angry.”

I pointed towards the door. “Then go talk to him about that! I’m not trying to hide anything by going to see Dimitri alone, I’m trying to not cause problems by letting you all stay here and be safe.I’mnot the problem!”

“But you’rehisproblem!” Reese shouted, mimicking my movements, and pointing to the door as well. I stood my ground, but I blinked up at him, letting his words sink in. “You think it’s cute and probably fiery to see him riled up about you, but from where he stands it’s not fucking fun.”

“I didn’t ask for that.”

Reese let out an incredulous laugh. “You didn’t have to. Fuck, Dani, Nick will chase you, he will fight, and he will damn near bite his tongue to hold onto you. I need to understand that you deserve even an ounce of that effort from him.”

I shook my head, walking over to the dresser and tapping my fingers along the edge. “Why are you so affected by this, by how Nick feels? From where I’m standing it almost sounds like you’re in love with him, which wouldn’t surprise me since you’re practically on his dick all the time.”

“Woah, what?”

I leaned against the dresser, crossing my arms over my chest. “I didn’t stutter.”

“You think because I care about him, that that must mean I’m in love with him?”

“No, Reese. You can care. Of course, you can care. It’s the level of caring that’s throwing me back. It’s the amount of energy you’re putting into fighting his battles for him when I’m pretty sure he didn’t ask you to.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose, taking in one long breath after another. “Nick doesn’t have to ask for me to come to his defense. I just will. That doesn’t mean I’m in love with him. I love Nick but not like that.”

I tilted my head to the side, examining him.

Reese let out a laugh that wasn’t meant to have any humor to it. “You know that guy threw me against a wall and got in my face because of something I said about you a few days ago. He didn’t know if you two would figure your shit out, but his first instinct was to protect your honor even though I can admit that you don’t need someone doing that for you. That’s who Nick is. He was on your side, and you weren’t even aware.”

“So, you think I’m not on Nick’s side? You think I’m not team Nick right now?”

“I don’t know, maybe!”

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