Page 47 of Love's Ace

I probably wasn’t the person to ask when it came to things like love and sacrifice, if I was being honest.

I settled into a chair and opened the book he’d handed me, figuring that was probably a better use of my time than trying to explain to Wren why love wasn’t something I was willing to risk myself on.

Not now. Not ever again.

We stayed in Gethin’s little library longer than I’d thought we would. There was something almost relaxing about it—maybe it was because Wren wasn’t on edge. Whatever belief he had that this area was safe, it translated to the way he sat with his body sprawled out on a chair, his shoulders loose and his eyes focused on the pages he flipped through. It showed in the way he’d sometimes lift his head and start talking about something he read.

It showed in the way I finally stretched with a yawn. Wren looked up at me with the softest smile on his face.

“You look like you could use some sleep.”

I barely heard the words, though—I was too focused on his mouth, on the shape of his lips and the way he looked so different when he wasn’t defensive. It made my chest constrict, and something behind my ribs ache.

It made the thread between us give a little twinge of hazy red that I ignored as I stood.

“You’re probably right.”

If I ignored whatever the fuck had just happened, I’d probably be better off.

“Shit… and you’re probably hungry.”

At the mention, my stomach gave a low rumble, like it hadn’t realized he was right until he brought it up.

“If it’s any trouble, you don’t have to worry about it. I’ve been hungrier.”

Wren’s lips pressed together again, and when he stood and started toward me, my instinct was to recoil. It came from years of knowing that a complaint was met with a closed fist, that I didn’t have a right to say anything. That I was lucky if I was fed at all, let alone—

“Theo. I don’t know what the fuck you went through before, but as long as we’re stuck together, you’re not going to go through it now.”

Stuck together,he said, while softly promising me that I didn’thaveto deal with being hungry.

Stuck together, he said… but his hand came out slow enough that I could telegraph his movements, that I could pull away if I wanted. I had to clench my jaw to force myself to stand still… but all he did was straighten the front of my jacket and zip it up while keeping his eyes on my chest.

On the line between us.

I didn’t know what to do. I hadno ideawhat to say… so I did the best I could.

“Okay.”

I caught it when his eyes lifted up toward me, and he gave me that half smile again—soft, like he didn’t realize he was doing it.

“Okay?”

“Yeah, if Gethin has something.”

“I can order something here if he doesn’t. Don’t worry about it.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to throw vitriol at him, to ask if he wanted to make sure I didn’t hurt anyone by leaving. It was right there, the bitterness I always turned to. The anger that had kept me safe for so long.

Instead, I took a breath and mumbled, “Chinese food.”

“What?”

It was odd, how scary it was just toaskfor something. It shouldn’t have made me feel so vulnerable, but…

“I like Chinese food.”

I waited, my body tense. I could tell that Wren noticed it when his eyes swept up and down my frame, pausing on my drawn-in shoulders, my clenched fists. He could probably feel it vibrating off me in palpable waves through the connection between us.

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