Page 61 of Séance

I automatically do as she says, getting lost in her teal eyes instead of the monsters in my head. I don’t realize I’m moving toward her, leaning into her touch, until my forehead comes to rest against hers. When my breathing steadies, Rue pulls away slightly, and maybe it’s my imagination, but I swear she does it reluctantly, treasuring the closeness just as much as I do.

It’s only when she straightens that I see she scooted to the edge of the couch, her legs parted enough so I’m kneeling between them. Fearing I might drop back into the black pit of my mind where my demons wait to torment me, I sweep my arms around her waist and bury my face against her stomach.

She stiffens at my touch, but she doesn’t pull away, and that’s everything.

A heartbeat passes, and the only sound I can hear is the beat of my heart thundering in my ears. A hint of doubt creeps into me, and I wonder if I’m too much. I need too much attention. I’m too much work. I’m too excitable, too emotional, too dramatic, and too manic.

Just too much everything.

The same words, or variations of them, still ring in my head from the night my mother left.

Because of me.

I’m too much for anyone to handle.

A light touch brushes against my hair, and I startle so badly that I flinch.

Rue.

As if wanting to soothe me, despite her being the one who’s injured, she weaves her fingers through the strands over and over, her nails lightly scratching my scalp. I sigh and melt against her, any temporary doubts evaporating completely.

Her nearness is better than any drug.

One touch, and I’m addicted.

For the first time since I used to get blackout drunk, my mind is blessedly silent. If I didn’t know that she was already ours, I would fall for her all over again.

Ellis, bless his dark soul, drops down next to me and takes over the task of tending to her wounds. I don’t think I can stand seeing her hurt and not lose my shit again.

Through it all, Rue continues to stroke me like I’m the wounded one. Maybe I should be ashamed, but I’ve accepted the truth that I’m a broken, shattered mess a long time ago. The only reason I’m able to cling to any sort of sanity is because of the guys.

It’s inevitable that they’ll grow tired of me too, like everyone else in my life, and I’ll finally lose the last bits of my mind.

Rue’s appearance in our lives changes everything.

She’ll hold all the jagged pieces of us together.

I’m almost giddy at the thought of all the wonderful chaos she will bring into our lives.

Chapter Twenty

ELLIS

When Rue squirms in my hold, I grit my teeth as my cock springs to attention. I tighten my grip, thinking she is struggling against the pain or might be ticklish. Despite the seriousness of the situation, pleasure fills my chest at the thought of discovering more about her. It’s only when James drops to his ass, a full-blown panic attack taking hold of him, that I realize my mistake.

Gods be damned, I’m an ass.

I set Rue aside, ready to drag him from the room if he becomes unmanageable, but Rue beats me to it.

My breath halts in my chest when she wraps her hands around his face and whispers to him in a soft voice. She can’t know how dangerous he is when he’s in such a state. He lashes out without thought, and I hover close, ready to yank her away if he turns violent.

To my utter shock, he stills at her touch like a puppy eager to obey its master.

I breathe a sigh of relief as he calms, hating that I didn’t realize he was struggling. Of course he would struggle at seeing a woman hurt. It’s a known trigger. Rue barely even acknowledged that she was injured, so I didn’t think the wounds were that bad.

It’s just that once I got her in my arms, I couldn’t seem to let her go.

My sympathies go to James.

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