Page 64 of Rectify

“Are you trying to tell me I stink?” She gave him a faint smile.

“Not at all,” he replied smoothly. “You always smell wonderful to me.”

She snorted. “Charmer.”

Aedan waited until she left the room to pull out his cell phone and call Rogan.

“You could have warned me,” he snapped as his cousin answered.

“Hello to you too.”

“Why didn’t you tell me how bad things were?” Aedan demanded.

“Because you haven’t been here. What point would there have been in telling you when you were halfway across the world?”

“I would have come back.”

“I was kind of hoping you’d both come to your senses on your own. When neither of you made the first move, I realized I needed to nudge you in the right direction. I don’t like to interfere in other people’s lives.”

Sure, he didn’t. What a liar.

Natalya staredat herself in the mirror. She looked terrible. Scraggly hair hung around her drawn face in clumps. Her dirty, ripped clothes were going straight into the rubbish. No wonder Aedan insisted she’d have a shower. She sniffed under anarmpit. Yep, she stunk. It was official. She’d hit rock bottom. She wouldn’t blame him for running the other way.

His absence had hurt her. Part of her had wondered if it was his way of punishing her for leaving him. Tit for tat. But Aedan was a better person than that.

She’d spiraled into a hole she couldn’t climb out of. Not taking care of herself, devoting her every waking moment to Mateo and his needs, and long nights of lying awake, worrying, stressing, and jumping at every little sound. She’d gotten to the point where she was too scared to shower in case someone snuck into the apartment.

But with Aedan standing watch, she could relax a little.

And maybe it wouldn’t hurt her to eat better. She stared at her protruding hip bones and grimaced. She looked skinnier than those waiflike models Aedan had dated. Maybe he’d find her more attractive like this?

No, he’d always loved her curves.

She stepped into the shower. What did it matter anyway? Her libido had died a fast death, whittling away to nothing.

When she emerged from the shower, she felt like a new woman. Wrapping a towel around herself, she wandered into the bedroom and found some clean, nearly wrinkle-free clothing. Dressed and still toweling her hair dry, she walked into the living area and came to an abrupt stop.

“You didn’t have to clean up,” she told Aedan, feeling embarrassed.

“I needed something to do,” he replied with a shrug. “I’ve put your clothes over here, and Mateo’s are on the kitchen counter. Do you have a comb?”

“Ahh, yeah, it’s in the bathroom.”

“Go get it. I’ll comb your hair.”

She shook her head. “That’s not necessary.”

“Natalya,” he replied in a stern voice. “Go get your comb and bring it here.”

Feeling surprised, she found herself going to get the comb without a thought. Then she returned and found some sass as she handed it back to him. “Here you go, oh master of the universe.”

“Just master will do,” he replied with a wink from where he sat on the sofa. He took the comb and pointed at the floor between his legs. “Sit.”

“Woof. Woof.”

“Good doggy. You know, you’d look cute with some little ears and a tail. I could put you on a leash and teach you to heel.”

She sprang to her feet and glared at him, pointing her finger. “You try to put a leash on me and I’ll bite your balls off.”

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