Page 66 of Cursed by Death

This wasn’t a good start.

“Okay,” I said slowly. “Then what are you mad about?”

“I’m not mad about anything, Ruby. I just wanted to give you the heads up so you know what you’re walking into.”

“Well, thank you,” I told her sincerely. “I really appreciate it.” I started to walk away towards the house when she called out my name, stopping me. I looked back at her questioningly over my shoulder.

“We’re your family now. That means you don’t have to go it alone anymore. Ever. You don’t get to show us that you care without allowing us to give that back to you. That’s not how it works because it’s not fair. You need to remember that.”

I walked away but I did it feeling like complete shit and with her words on repeat running through my mind. Hadn’t I said something very similar to her? The last thing I wanted to be was a hypocrite. Especially where Ginger was concerned.

I was failing at being a safe space for her and the baby and they had literally just moved in.

The lights were all off on the main floor and the house was completely silent. This would have brought me comfort just the day before but now it made me slightly uncomfortable.

Which pissed me off because really, I had done nothing wrong. I was a grown ass adult and the only person responsible for my safety and wellbeing was me.

Fox was waiting for me in the hallway outside my bedroom. He looked like a disappointed parent and that made me the naughty child here. I almost rolled my eyes at him but managed to refrain from doing so.

He opened his mouth but I got there first. “Don’t start with me, I don’t need nor do I want a lecture from you or anyone else. I’m safe and nothing bad happened to me, as you can clearly see.”

He shook his head as he sighed heavily. “You don’t get it. You’re my Prince’s mate and now I’m pretty sure everyone knows you’re also Maredo’s daughter. Even if you were only Rally’s mate and not Maredo’s daughter you would still have guards because it wouldn’t be safe for you to go off on your own. Rally has enemies just like any other higher up in the supernatural community does. That makes you a target whether you like it or not.”

After my conversation with Ginger I didn’t want to hear this. “I can take care of myself. Besides, I wasn’t alone. The hunters met me there.”

If possible, he looked even more disapproving and a whole lot more pissed off. Note to self, don’t bring up Roan and Bane around Fox.

“That’s even worse,” he growled at me as he rubbed at his eyes tiredly. “It’s like you went down there with a neon sign on your forehead just asking for trouble.

It wasn’t like I could argue with that so I didn’t even attempt to try. “Listen, Fox. It’s late and I’m tired. Can we maybe talk about this tomorrow?”

Or never, I thought but didn’t say.

He shook his head angrily. “Why? It’s not like you’re going to listen to what I have to say tomorrow either. I have to be out of my fucking mind to have signed myself up for that shit.”

He was absolutely right.

Wait, what? Fox had actually signed up to guard me and wasn’t just here because Rally had picked him out for the job?”

Didn’t that just make me feel even worse.

“Goodnight, Foxy,” I called out after him as he stormed off down the hall and back to his room.

Great.

I’d disappointed Ginger and now Fox was pissed at me.

This night had really been an epic failure after all. Still, there was a part of me that was relieved I had gone to the underground.

Spending time with Rally and the shifters put me in my father’s world and I would have crossed paths with him eventually. At least this way I wouldn’t be caught off guard by it.

It had been like the band aid had been ripped clean off. I just hoped that didn’t mean I wanted to run into him all the time because I didn’t think I could stand that.

I almost locked my bedroom door but I decided against it. I would never lock it if I were here alone and I knew I had nothing to fear from Fox. He probably had more to fear from me than I did him.

I laid my weapons out on the dresser and went to plug my phone in. I had taken it with me but kept it on silent. I hadn’t wanted a distraction but I felt a false sense of safety with having my phone on me at all times. I had brought it with me tonight just in case I had needed to call someone for help.

Which was actually laughable. Who would I even call for help when in the underground? 911 was who you were supposed to call but the police didn’t go to the underground. I only knew of Detective Rowans being the only cop who was brave enough to go down there. And that was because of his dead sister.

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