Page 92 of Séance

Drowning in the comfy clothing, she looks incredibly young.

Without makeup, her face is a little too pale, her eyes are a little too big, and her bruises are more vicious than ever.

Fury heats my blood, and I’m forced to take a few deep breaths before I explode in rage.

Rue doesn’t need that right now.

All my thoughts stop dead, and my gaze zeroes in on the neat little stitches along her hairline. My insides feel like they are being carved out, knowing she did it herself while we were just fucking sitting in her room with our thumbs up our asses.

Fuck!

“Rue…” I reach for her, but she pulls back and turns her face away.

“It’s fine,” she mutters, then she shrugs like it’s no big fucking deal, never looking away from me. “I’ve been patching myself up since I was old enough to see in the mirror. I’ve become quite proficient at it over the years.”

I swallow hard, and it does nothing to alleviate the nausea rolling over me. Gunner swears to my left, an almost inaudible snarl ripping from him. Stillness radiates from the twins, and I know her confession is fucking with their heads.

She shifts on her feet, then winces, and I immediately feel like an ass. I step back, bumping into the guys since we are all crowded into the hall like fucking sardines in a can. “Why don’t we take this discussion where you can be more comfortable?”

With a grateful nod, she steps out of the bathroom, then pauses at the top of the stairs, as if she is contemplating howto get down with the least amount of pain. Before she can take a step, Jace elbows his way forward, stopping only when he’s nearly plastered against her back.

“When I lift you in my arms, don’t startle or try to wiggle away. Just relax and let me do the work.” He doesn’t give her a chance to protest, just bends and scoops her up.

She tenses for a heartbeat, then melts against him, and I curse myself for not being brave enough to step forward to do that.

I didn’t want to hurt her and held my tongue.

Instead of heading downstairs, he turns toward her bedroom. Trailing after them, I scowl when he doesn’t simply deposit her on the bed, but takes the spot with her still in his lap, then leans back against the wall. I open my mouth to protest, then snap it shut when she sighs and cuddles into him, her head resting trustingly on his shoulders.

While the mother hen in me wants to tell them that she needs rest, I don’t have the heart to argue. I’m not even sure I could make myself leave the room, much less them.

Jace bows his head down to fuss over her, and I have to admit they make a stunning couple. A hollow spot opens in my chest at the thought, and I ruthlessly push it away to examine later. She doesn’t need more bullshit from us right now.

James doesn’t hesitate to crawl into bed with them. With a little wiggling, he captures her legs and drags them over his lap. I tense, ready to yank him away if he disturbs her. Women love James because he can immediately put them at ease and make them laugh and forget about their troubles for a while, but sometimes he can be an ass.

You never know what you’re going to get with him at any given second, much like an overeager puppy. I only relax when he seems content just to be near her. I can sympathize, struggling with my own need to bundle her up so nothing badever happens to her again. Unfortunately, society frowns on kidnapping people.

When Gunner enters the room, leaning against the wall by the door, Rue lifts her head. “You’ve each shared little bits of your past with me. You deserve the same in turn, especially after what happened today.”

“It’s not tit for tat,” I protest, not wanting her to share anything before she’s ready. She’s been traumatized enough today. “If you’re not ready?—”

“You deserve an explanation,” she says, her voice growing firm. She sighs, her shoulders wilting slightly, and her gaze drops to her lap, where she starts picking at her nails. “I mentioned some of it to you guys already, but I’ll start at the beginning.”

Blowing out a heavy breath, she rolls her shoulders and clears her throat. “My mother ran away and married my father when she turned sixteen. He was rich, and she was spoiled. It was a match made in hell, but surprisingly enough, they loved each other fiercely. Unfortunately, my mother wasn’t exactly stable at the best of times.

“When I was born, her…condition…got worse. It was hate at first sight, and I was immediately handed over to the staff to be raised.” When Gunner growls in protest, she smiles ruefully. “Believe me, it was a small blessing.”

She purses her lips, her eyes losing focus as she becomes lost in the memories. “What I didn’t know until much later is that herconditionwas passed through the women of our family. You’ve met Nan, right?”

She looks at each of us, and we nod. “Have any of you ever had your cards read by her?”

This time, we each shake our heads, looking at each other curiously.

“She does séances?” James says, his face scrunched up in question.

“No, she’s more of a fortune teller. She can read tarot cards, even just a regular deck of playing cards, palm reading, that type of thing.” Rue watches each of us closely, but none of us react as we wait for her to continue. “Each woman in our family has a different ability.”

Again, she pauses as if her revelation would shock us. Unsure how to react, I keep my mouth shut. Gunner seems enthralled, a little furrow between his brows as he listens. James is hanging on her every word, but that means nothing. Curiously enough, Jace has lowered his head, his eyes closed, almost like he knows something.

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