Page 61 of The Black Lotus
I lift my head, my anger bubbling up, but stop when I see her. She nibbles her bottom lip, her arms behind her back. She looks more her age than she ever has before.It's kind of cute to see her all bashful like this.
“Is there anything I can do?”
I brace my hand on her shoulder and all feelings of irritation are gone. “Can you go to the store and get some ointment, antibiotics, bandages, and some drinks with electrolytes?.”
She nods, her eyes lighting at my request. “Yes. I’ll be right back.”
She runs to grab her keys, and I head downstairs to prepare Aster's meal.
Her footsteps come bounding down as she bolts into the kitchen to hug me, her embrace throwing me off guard, my body stiffening against hers. I’m not used to this kind of affection, especially from her, but maybe since Aster is home, she’s putting on an act of the loving sister-in-law? Granted Aster isn’t around, so maybe this is real.
I turn around to wrap my arms around her, returning the hug.She smells nice, too.I inhale her scent of honey and lavender, a soft cloud around me. She pulls away from me as quickly as she came in, and before she can walk out the door, I ask one last thing.
“Hey, Zephira?”
“Hmm?” she asks, turning to look at me.
”Why didn’t anyone attack when I was left unguarded?”
“I can’t tell you.”
She leaves before I can ask anything more. If she knows, does that mean Cynthia has called it all off?Is she finally done with me?Can I breathe without having to look behind my shoulder every second?
My stomach churns, the cracking on the stove forcing me back into reality. Something tells me the worst is yet to come.
THIRTY-FOUR
SERENA
Keeping my hands off Aster and his grabby ones off me is way harder than I thought it would be. When two people who have been deprived of one another for longer than they are used to, finally get in reach of the otherandare denied the one craving they need, things become… tense. Let’s just say after a couple days of making sure her brother was healing properly, Zephira got out of our house because she was tired of both our snappiness.
It’s beenfive days, and I personally have had enough. It's been almost two weeks since he was taken and he is healed enough.It’s time. He doesn’t know it yet, but I am in a playful mood, so when those grabby hands become forceful, I am going to give in.
I’m currently whipping up an assortment of food for breakfast, one that will not only satiate our appetite, but will be payback for that time he teased me with pizza.Let’s see how he feels when the roles are reversed.
Walking up the stairs in nothing but an apron, I hold a tray of waffles, whip cream, strawberries, and chocolate syrup.Things are about to get messy.
After everything we’ve been through, this is a moment we both need. A moment to breathe and be with one another with no distractions or looming threats from Cynthia.
Aster’s already sitting up in bed, most likely checking the camera feed for anything out of place. His paranoia has been on high alert since the incident, causing my anxiety to rise along with his. He can’t help but feel this is not the end. That inkling grows stronger each day in me, as well.
As soon as I shut the door, I see a feral Aster staring at me, his hungry, darkened gaze has me weak in the knees.
“You’ve brought me breakfast.”
I walk towards him, placing my food on the side table and the tray of his on the bed. “I have. It’s all your favorite sweets.” My voice squeaks when his hand grips my ass, his fingers digging into my plump flesh, the food nearly spilling over before I let go.
“You know that’s not what I’m talking about.”
I swat his arm, stepping out of his hold. “You need to eat.”
“If you expect me to eat anything except your dripping cunt when I’ve been starved from it for so long, you’re more delusional than I thought.”
I mindlessly lick my bottom lip. “If you eat your breakfast, I might let you have me for dessert.”
Without another word, he grabs the plate in front of him and scarfs down the food, not leaving a single crumb. I watch, amazed and turned on by the way his throat bobs up and down with each swallow.
The plate clatters back on the tray. “Done. Now come here,” he demands.
