Page 45 of Secrets in Salem: Part One

You're worth it. You could burn all of my clothing by accident, and I wouldn't mind a bit.

Willow reads over my words and laughs, causing my heart to pound a little harder. Her cheeks flush pink, and she offers me a beautiful smile that I'll no doubt sear into my memory to remember always. A weird thought filters through my head, telling me I already have, but I put it down to the overwhelming events over the last few days.

"I appreciate it. I'll try not to set them ablaze," she promises, hugging the clothes to her chest.

I offer her a wink, standing back and turning around so she has privacy to put the shirt on to cover herself. "Okay, all clear. Could you help me into the pants though?"

Turning around, I nod and hold a hand out, accepting the pants back and kneeling once more. With unsteady balance, Willow rises and places her dainty hands on my shoulders to keep herself from falling back down. Her movements are shaky as she steps into the pants and I pull them up her healing legs. I'm careful not to catch the burns, though she still can't feel a thing, shimmying the material up her legs and tying the drawstring tight until they rest low on her hips without falling straight off.

"I appreciate you, Micah," her soft voice whispers from above me, her thumbs rubbing against my shoulders while I roll up the bottom of the pants. Smiling up from where I am, I wink at her once more, standing until she's forced to look up at me instead.

Holding my arms out, I raise my eyebrows a couple of times, drawing another addictive laugh from her, and scoop her up in my arms when she holds hers out in invitation. With her bridal style in my arms once more, I carry her to the living room before placing her on the couch and sitting beside her, snatching up the notepad on the coffee table and tucking it beside me.

Willow smiles at me, resting against my side when she sits back against the couch.

"Are you hungry? I made pasta," Aleric asks, walking from the kitchen when he notices us on the couch. His eyebrow raises when he takes in her outfit, his eyes coming to rest on me with a questioning glance. I shrug, dropping my arm over the couch, feeling Willow subconsciously settling further against me. I completely forget Aleric is even in the room, my focus dropping back to the confused woman sitting beside me. Her eyes are drooping, exhaustion weighing heavily on her shoulders.

"Sure, I could eat. Just save me from suffocating in pasta if I pass out by accident, okay?" Before she even finishes that sentence, her eyes slide closed for a brief moment.

Aleric sends me an amused look, heading to the kitchen to dish out dinner. By the time he comes back, Willow is breathing steadily, her weight pressing into me a little more as she falls asleep without meaning to.

As gently as he can, Aleric kneels beside the couch and rubs Willow's arm to wake her. She startles, regardless, bolting up and blurting, "I wasn't resting my eyes! I was sleeping."

There's a pause.

"That came out wrong," she adds, grumbling under her breath. I'm grinning at Aleric while he tries to smother his laughter in the arm of the couch, his free hand holding a small bowl of pasta for Willow.

"You still hungry?" he asks, holding the bowl up for her sleepy eyes. What she doesn’t know is that Aleric spent more time cooking than he ever has before. That raises a few questions, but Willow perking up at the first sign of food followed by her stomach growling loudly is enough to chase them from my mind. Instead, a huff of laughter passes through my lips.

Aleric places the bowl on her lap and cautions, "Careful. It's still hot."

She beams up at my normally grouchy brother, and his eyes widen a fraction. Not enough for her to notice, but enough for my perceptive gaze to catch. If the look of surprise on Willow's face is anything to go by, she's just as shocked with it as my brother and me.

Bishop comes walking into the room, heading straight for the kitchen in search of food. Aleric rolls his eyes, standing from his crouch, and mutters, "Oh, yeah. Just help yourself. Dick."

He turns toward me and says, "I'm not a maid. Get your own damn dinner."

I offer him my middle finger with a soundless laugh, and just as Willow digs into her dinner, I drop a kiss to her cheek in an unexpected move and lift myself from the couch before I catch the look of surprise on her face again. My beast is satisfied and settles in to wait for his turn. Rolling my eyes, I head to the kitchen with a wide grin on my face and every intention of keeping this woman for however long I can.

Chapter 24

Willow

Despite the pastabeing entirely too hot, I scarf it down like a woman starved. I actually don't remember the last time I ate, and my stomach is finally calming after the bowl full of carbs I'm enjoying far too much. It actually makes me feel guilty. Mom is still missing, my best friend is worried out of his mind, I'm sitting in an apartment with three men who actively deceived me, and I'm enjoying my dinner instead of looking for Mom, assuring Adam I'm okay instead of telling him I’m angry at the three guys who keep helping me. When did my life get so complicated?

As soon as I'm done with dinner, the bowl is snatched from my lap and my cell is pressed into my hand in swift movements. When I look up, I find Aleric carrying my bowl to the kitchen, Micah trying to fold my fingers around my cell, and Bishop wolfing down another portion of pasta. It all happens so fast I can do nothing but blink stupidly for a moment.

Shaking my head, I take hold of the cell and shuffle to the edge of the couch. "I'm going to call Adam. Maybe try Mom's cell."

Bishop nods with a mouthful of food, but his eyes are kind and concerned. I offer him a small smile to ease his mind, clueless as to why I would even try sinceI'mthe wronged party here, but the feeling in my chest refuses to leave him so worried.

Doing my best to sit up despite the condition of my legs, I push off the couch. I’m forced to stand still when my head grows a little dizzy and my limbs shake. Taking a step forward proves impossible since my legs wobble and the floor threatens to catch my body. Luckily for my face and me, Micah is quick enough to catch me before I go down, his toned arms wrapping around my waist in the nick of time.

Exhaling a hefty sigh, I breathe, "Good catch."

Micah rubs my arm, steadying me on my feet. He doesn't let go when I take a step forward, and I realize he's going to guide me wherever I'm heading just so I don't faceplant on the floor. I can’t say that he’s not a complete gentleman and total sweetheart. I kind of hate my heart for doing a little flip and dance in my chest right now.

"Can you take me to your room?" I ask quietly, leaning into him since he isn't going anywhere. Micah doesn't seem to mind, holding me more securely as he nods and walks us to his bedroom without delay. Once inside the minimalistic room, he sets me down on the bed and hovers. "I'll give you a shout when I'm done. I still have questions that I intend on asking when I'm finished with my phone calls."

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