Page 53 of A Rift in the House of Bruin

He laughed and took a long drag from the brimshade. “You won’t be much help from over there.”

“It’s called being polite,” I said, turning around. If he wanted an audience, who was I to deny him? “But clearly, you’re not shy.”

I didn’t know where to start. I’d never bathed anyone but myself—especially not someone I felt an otherworldly attraction to. I grabbed the small sponge floating in the tub and started to wash his well-muscled back. A sizable tattoo of a snarling bear head sat in the center of his frame. Thick smoke swirled up from behind the large figure and trailed across his shoulder blades, curling up over his broad back.

He sighed, relaxing into the bath. His shoulders dropped and rounded forward.

“Your tattoo is beautiful. Does the smoke represent your power?”

“How about you mind your business.” His response was abrupt, taking me by surprise.

“I was simply making small talk. I wasn’t trying to pry.” I was beginning to second-guess my desire to help him. Jase had never agreed with me coming to Hiraeth. From the very beginning, he’d questioned Lu’s decision to help me with the Tribulation.

“You gonna help wash my front too?” he quipped, shifting the conversation.

“I think you’re fully capable of washing yourself,” I shot back, resisting the urge to jab his bruised ribs. “Let me see your face.”

He turned to look at me, a sarcastic smile plastered across his rugged features.

“This cut above your eye is covered in filth. On second thought, so is your hair. Let’s start there.”

“Sorry, Johan didn’t offer proper bathing facilities to his prisoners,” he mocked.

“I wasn’t reprimanding you,” I clarified, filling the bucket.

Closing his eyes, Jase tilted back his head, allowing me to wet his blood-caked hair. I could almost hear a faint purr rumblingfrom his chest as I massaged his scalp. There were no visible wounds on his head—just dried blood from the gash above his eye. I continued to wash his hair in silence, giving him a moment of peaceful pleasure. After a final rinse, I turned his face back toward me.

“This is probably going to sting,” I warned, gently dabbing at the swollen cut.

He winced at my touch. “Why are you doing this?”

I paused, staring into his icy blue eyes. “That’s a great question. I’m beginning to wonder that myself.” He put on an impeccable facade, but if you took a moment to really look, deep within his gaze was tremendous pain. I was all too familiar with masking for the sake of my loved ones. I could see right through it.

I hesitated, debating whether to pour my heart out to him. To tell him that my soul demanded I take care of him. That I knew that we were all connected, whether we liked it or not. “Because even though I shouldn’t… I care.”

He stared at me, silent. And for a moment, I swore I saw a smile start to claim the corner of his mouth.

“Lu told me.”

“Told you what?”

“That we’re all—fated.”

He laughed, his defenses snapping back into place. “Did he?” He told you we areallfated?”

“He said?—”

“I don’t care what he said. Did he explain that none of us know what that even means? That no human has ever been fated to a Hiraethian? Not once in the history of our realm has iteverbeen documented.”

“Well, no.” I continued cleaning up his face, avoiding his gaze. Lu definitely hadn’t mentioned any of those things. “He didn’t say?—”

“Did he tell you that there hasneverbeen a case of fated mates involving more than two souls?”

“I don’t know what any of it means,” I admitted. “But I feel something I can’t explain.” I was losing my nerve. Jase had made some good points, and I was beginning to question everything. “Do you not feel a connection?”

He scoffed. “I find you attractive, sure. That doesn’t mean we’re fated. Lots of females get my dick hard. What makes you think you’re special?”

My heart sank. “I guess to you, I’m not,” I said it matter-of-factly, mimicking his nonchalant remark. I wouldn’t let him know he had landed a blow.

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