Page 19 of House of Soot

This wasn't supposed to happen. I can't let her disarm me. I need to remember why I'm here, why I infiltrated this place. The Keans must pay for what they did, and Jenna… Jenna is the key to making that happen.

Even if something inside me breaks every time I use her for my family’s revenge.

9

JENNA

Ifloat into the kitchen. Even after a few days, my body still tingles from Blaise's touch. Every inch of my skin remembers the press of his fingers, the warmth of his lips, the way he felt moving inside me.

Debbie looks up from chopping vegetables. "Good God, girl, what is up with you? For the last few days, you look like your feet haven’t touched the ground. Has Ronan finally taken an interest in you?”

I shake my head. “No, but I am in love.” I haven’t told Debbie all the details about Blaise. I don’t know why I’ve held back, except maybe out of fear that it wasn’t real.

“Do tell.” Debbie abandons her knife and drags me to the corner table.

“It’s Blaise.”

“Hot new guard Blaise?”

I nod. "He packed this amazing picnic. We went to a spot near the east gate. There’s an oak grove… He brought me strawberries, and we talked. He actually listens to me, you know?"

"And?" Debbie leans forward, resting her chin on her hands, eyes sparkling. "That dreamy look says there's more."

My face burns hotter. "We… um… we… ah… you know."

“Oh, my God, Jenna, did you fuck him?” She grabs my hands.

Fuck sounds too feral for what we did. We made love. “It wasn’t just the act. It was perfect. The way he held me, how gentle he was… And afterward, he said he loves me."

Her head jerks back and her eyes narrow. "Already? Wow."

"I know it sounds fast, but when you know, you just know." I press my hands to my chest, feeling my racing heart. "It's nothing like my crush on Ronan. That was just fantasy. This is real. Blaise sees me, the real me."

Debbie squeezes my arm. "As long as you're happy.”

But I sense her concern. I get it. I hardly know Blaise. And up until he showed up, I was smitten with Ronan Kean.

"I never knew I could feel this way. I never wanted to give myself like I wanted?—”

“Wait. Was that your first time?” Now her eyes are rounded.

“Yes, and it was… well… perfect.”

She smiles, but it doesn’t quite mask the concern I see in her eyes.

“I thought you’d be glad I’d given up on Ronan.”

“Well, I knew that would go nowhere. And if you’re happy and sure about Blaise, then I’m happy for you. And I’m happy that I won’t have to listen to you describe Roman’s perfect hair for the millionth time."

I give her a small whap. “I wasn’t that bad.”

“Yeah, girl, you were.”

She’s right. "God, I was pathetic." I cover my face with my hands. "Nearly ten years of pining after someone who barely knew I existed. The most attention he ever gave me was asking about the rose bushes."

"And you replanted that whole section three times trying to make them perfect."

What a dummy.

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