Page 56 of Thorns of Blood
GIOVANNI
“Lia…” I softened my voice and her hazel eyes flicked over her shoulder. “You can say no.”
She nodded her head, sighing tiredly. “You can wash my hair.”
“Are you sure?”
Even from this angle, I could see the stubborn purse of her lips. “Yes, I’m sure.”
I poured the liquid into the palm of my hand, then brought it to her head.
She stiffened, but I kept my movements measured and slow. I started to massage her scalp, rubbing in the soap, and with each passing second, her shoulders slumped until her muscles relaxed completely.
“You know, your hair was the first thing I noticed when I saw you eight years ago.”
She turned, giving me a confused look.
“The night you married Santiago…” A dark expression passed her features. “You had him knocked out cold.”
“It was the highlight of my marriage.” She turned her head, facing away from me, but not before I saw her distraught expression. “Of course, it didn’t take him long to catch on.”
Her voice was brittle, haunted.
I took her chin between my fingers and gently turned her to face me. She tried to keep a mask in place, but I could see it.
The memories were closing in. It was a look that carried more pain than any one person should ever have to endure.
“He’s dead. He can’t hurt you anymore.”
“I’m not scared of him.” She swallowed. “I’m more scared of… other things,” she reluctantly admitted.
She usually hid this part of herself behind thick walls, but at this very moment, I witnessed her bare. And the more I saw of her, the more I wanted to protect her.
“What things?”
“The deeds I’ve done.”
“Like Marabella?”
Her eyes seemed to gloss over and she shivered in my arms. “Among others.”
It felt like she was gutting herself using her own memories like a knife. The fact that ghosts haunted her told me more than she’d ever let on.
“Lia?” She didn’t even blink. “This sounds cheesy, but it might be worthwhile talking to someone.”
There were so many things in her past that were a blur, and I suspected they were too painful. She was used to battling her demons alone, but I wanted to help her. She was my wife now and under my protection, which meant those demons could go fuck themselves.
With my wife’s permission.
“I’m talking to you,” she pointed out.
My lips twitched. “I appreciate it, and if you want to talk to me, I’ll always be here. But a professional might be able to help too…”
“To compartmentalize?” she asked.
“No, not exactly. That’s not a reliable coping mechanism. I was going to suggest you talk to someone that can help you come to terms with everything. To slay your ghosts and demons, among other things.” I grinned.
“My sins?”
