Page 16 of Frayed Owner

“Not from her. She’s never asked a stupid question,” he corrected before he snorted. “Hell, she’s taught me a few things.”

That was what I needed to hear to relax and just get it out. “It got me thinking about how you framed it. Workouts and like logging it all.” I gestured all around as the reference, even wondering if it was driving the point home, but I’d picked the timing. “And I might not be into weights, but—I pick different shoes because they fit me better.

“I like compression socks for my runs, especially the longer runs. The socks that go to my knees for that. They work better for longer runs. Shoes that breathe better, but I like terrain, so better treads. I’ve done some of those barely there shoes for treadmills—all of it changes the run. How I feel after, the times, if I ache—all of it.”

“Yes,” he agreed. “Same with lifting. Eating before. Hydration. How well I slept. If I had a rest day this week. Rotating areas.”

“Exactly.”

“You’re saying you want to rotate areas of magic to different days?” the guy surmised, not hiding how weird that was.

“No,” we said together, but I continued. “I’m wondering how I go about being more efficient with my magic. Is there a way—how do I know I’m being the most efficient making the treats? Maybe I could use less magic to make them? How do I start to figure out—”

The guy interjected with a snort. “You’re about three years too early for that, kid, and—”

“Yeah, I’m not here for your fucking opinion or talking to you,” I snapped. “You’ve never had the manners to even introduce yourself to me and yet keep talking to me like we know each other,bro.” I let out a long breath. “Never mind. I’m sorry I interrupted not knowing you were at the damn gym again. You could have told me now wasn’t a good time.”

Wyatt had set down the weights when I’d gotten upset and now stood. I got flustered, worried he was upset that I caused a scene. I took a step back and my heel landed early on something that wasn’t the floor. It threw me off balance and I started to go down, my arms flailing out to try and grab onto something as I did.

Wyatt snagged his arm around me and pulled me back up before I landed… And against his naked, sweaty chest. “You okay?”

I couldn’t get my mouth to work, blinking up into his pretty green eyes. Then I managed a nod.

He steadied me and then bent down to grab the weight plate I’d tripped over. “Hey, don’t be a dickhead and leave these where someone can trip.”

“Sorry, Derek,” a few others said, nodding to me as well.

I accepted it and cleared my throat. “Sorry. Thanks.”

“No problem.” He sighed and frowned when I flinched. “Sorry, I wasn’t thinking this could be awkward for you. I just wanted to give you answers so you’re not held up.”

“I appreciate that.” I rubbed my arm. “We can just talk at our next whatever. I’ll go. Thanks.”

He nodded and sent me back to my dorm room. That was it. Nothing else.

Oh my gods, things were so awkward it was almost better when he was pushy and stealing kisses. No, not really, but… Fuck everything.

Next, I went to work with Nina, and I swallowed a sigh when she seemed anxious. A few minutes of getting things set up and I finally just turned to her waiting for her to say whatever was going on with her.

She chuckled and rubbed my shoulder before sitting on the table. She gave me a kind look. “I’m sorry for not raising Sergey better. He should take responsibility for what he did—”

“We’re fine,” I mumbled. “We worked it out.”

“I know. He—please let me say this so you understand my son better.” She waited until I nodded. She let out a slow breath. “There is a pain others cannot understand when your family does not want you.” She nodded when I snorted. “Your situation is vastly different than ours and very… Shakespearean. But Sergey and I were not wanted.

“Him bybothsides of his families. I am a distant cousin. That is how he refers to me when not his momma. The truth is I am a bastard. The youngest sister of the head of the family was—there are different stories, but I am assured my father would never have raped anyone.” She nodded when my eyes went wide.

“They said that to save her reputation, not caring it could be his life,” I said with disgust.

“Yes. They hoped it would be because it would make everythingcleanerfor their family. Dump me off on my grandparents after having their son killed and be done with it. Luckily, my birth mother told the truth at the hearing and that he was not her first so he couldn’t be killed for taking her purity.”

“Good woman,” I praised.

“I like to think so, and my father’s family never bad-mouthed her,” she agreed. “But I was raised as his name and ignored until I became of use. I was not one of them until I agreed to take in Sergey and be his mother. Then I was suddenly one of them and they wanted to change everything.”

“Control. It was to control you,” I sighed.

“Yes. And it caused me great pain. I valued my father’s name and that family who loved me. It hurtthembecause they thought I jumped at the chance to abandon them for a better family with more power. My grandparents died thinking that and wouldn’t see me to explain.

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