Page 46 of Relentless Oath

“Nico killed Jason,yes…but did you ever ask yourself why?”

She ignored me, looking at the people all around us. What was wrong with my judgment? How did I keep ending up with people I couldn’t trust in my life?

Finally, she looked over at me. Her eyes were full of tears.

“I won’t let you use Jason to hurt me anymore,” she whispered, her voice sounding choked.

Something about her sadness, the pain in her voice, tugged at my heart. Hard. Scowling, I pushed back out of my chair and crossed the table to help her get up.

“Come on,” I said shortly. “We need to get going.”

“I didn’t really eat anything,” she said in a vague sort of voice, looking at her plate that was full of food.

What had happened? Did the thought of finding out something questionable about her perfect Jason fill her with so much dread that she wasn’t even willing to fight anymore?

For whatever reason, I found myself growing angry. If she wouldn’t even fight for him, then what were the chances that she would even consider fighting for us?

“Are you hungry?” I asked.

She seemed hesitant to answer but then slowly turned and looked at me. Her big eyes studied me, making me feel vulnerable and seen in the worst way.

“I’ll cook,” I heard myself say. “When we get home.”

She looked surprised. “You know how to cook?”

“Doesn’t everyone?”

“I don’t.”

“Well, I guess you’re about to learn something new.”

I took her hand in mine and pulled her after me out of the restaurant. The trip back to the house was silent, but she didn’t take her cold little hand from my grip.

We ventured back inside to the updated modern kitchen I had had installed just six months ago. The house looked so different from when I bought it. I had purchased it a few years ago from the homeowner who had bought it at a foreclosure auction.

He’d lived in it for at least ten years, but then it had been vacant for a long time, just wasting away. When I found out, I bought it and started the renovations, doing one room at a time, wanting it to look just right.

I didn’t know why I had purchased it. What was I going to do with an island retreat? But then Mya came along and I knew why I had added it to my collection of properties.

Maybe someday, we would come here to be happy together.

Steeling my mind against emotions from the past, I looked over at Mya. She was sitting down at the kitchen counter and watching as I pulled ingredients from the freshly stocked fridge. I had had no idea how long we would stay when we arrived, so I had asked for the basics to be delivered upon our arrival.

I figured we could go back across the water to town if we needed more provisions. I considered myself a good cook, but I rarely had to cook for myself.

When I did, I preferred something quick and easy…like an omelet. That gave me an idea.

I pulled out eggs, spinach, and some fresh peppers in various colors.

I made quick work of the peppers, dicing them up as she watched. I knew she was impressed by my knife skills just from the way she watched me, almost transfixed. Either that, or she was remembering how I’d stabbed Hortensio.

I picked up an egg to crack it against a bowl but hit it too hard. Yolk dripped down the bowl and splatted a little in every direction.

I cursed inwardly at my sudden fit of emotion. I usually separated my work and my personal life better. What was happening to me?

“Hmm. Most people make omelets with eggs inside a bowl. However, to each their own. “

I shot her an annoyed look, but I was secretly pleased she was speaking to me, even if it was to roast me.

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