Page 70 of Destined for Shadows
Chapter 21
Cori
The last thing she remembered was falling asleep on Bartol’s couch while talking to Melena. The sensor had consoled her while she wept at the loss of nearly everything she owned. Cori had managed to save her most important personal possessions, but she still couldn’t get over how many other things she’d lost forever, including the beautiful kitchen she’d had remodeled after moving into the cabin. It was all gone now. Repairing her truck was one thing, but her home? Even if the insurance covered the cost to rebuild completely, it would take time, and it wouldn’t be the same as before.
It was too much to take in at once, and she couldn’t face it right now.
Rolling onto her back, she noticed she wasn’t on the couch anymore. It was definitely a firm mattress with soft sheets that smelled suspiciously like Bartol, a mixture of sandalwood and spice. Cori opened her eyes and scanned her surroundings. Thick, dark-blue curtains shielded the sunlight, leaving the room dim, and the door was shut.
Pushing a white, down comforter away from her, she reached over and turned on a lamp. This was the first time she’d seen Bartol’s bedroom, and it was nicer than she’d expected. Part of her wouldn’t have been surprised if he slept on a cot with a milk crate for a nightstand. He’d always given her the impression he was a rustic sort of guy and didn’t care for luxuries all that much.
Then Cori remembered that Melena and Lucas had insisted on purchasing quality furniture for Bartol so he would be comfortable in his new home. They’d chosen well. The bedroom set included the four-poster bed she’d slept on, an armoire, a dresser, and two nightstands. They were all stained dark mocha and smelled of fresh pine. Matching wrought iron lamps sat on each of the nightstands with shades the same color as the window curtains. As a final touch, a fake tree sat in the corner.
Even with the room filled with furniture, though, it still had an empty feeling to it. Bartol didn’t have anything personal in there to make it his. At the very least, he should have had a pair of shoes lying on the floor, paintings on the wall, or even some cologne sitting on the dresser.
Cori slid off the bed, noting it sat higher than her own. Her bare feet touched the cool wood floor, and she let out a shuddering breath as she looked down at herself. She still wore the same clothes as the previous night, which reeked of smoke, and she desperately needed a shower. The bed sheets would also need to be washed before they could be used again. How had she ended up in Bartol’s bed anyway? Had he braved touching her so he could move her to his most personal domain? The thought made her smile. Maybe all her efforts were helping him make progress after all.
Padding to the door, Cori opened it and poked her head out. There was a folded blanket and a pillow on the couch but no sign of Bartol. She caught sight of the duffle bag of clothes she’d saved last night sitting outside the bedroom door. That was all the motivation she needed to focus on taking a shower and worrying about the nephilim later. Scooping up the bag, she headed for the bathroom. Inside, she found it empty of any decorations with only a clear shower curtain over the tub and a few bottles of personal hygiene products set neatly in a row. The tile was solid white and the sink freestanding. A prison restroom would have had more character than this, though Bartol’s was no doubt cleaner. It also smelled heavily of bleach.
She stripped off her clothes and hopped into the shower. In her spree to save her things, she hadn’t had time to grab anything from her bathroom. Most of the stuff in there was easier to replace, so it hadn’t been a priority. She had no choice now except to use Bartol’s shampoo and soap, which he must have taken some care with choosing because they matched the scent she always caught on him. It felt a little naughty to be using his stuff without asking him first, but that only made the experience even more thrilling.
After finishing her shower and borrowing a comb from the medicine cabinet to get the tangles out of her hair, she pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. It made her feel marginally better now that she was cleaner, and the smoke smell wasn’t filling her nose every time she breathed.
Cori stared at herself in the mirror, noting the circles under her eyes and the lack of makeup. She looked worn out. Last night, she’d let herself cry because she’d needed a little time to mourn. Today, she had to put her chin up and move forward. Nothing could be gained by curling up in a ball and moaning about how unfair life could be. Cori had long since learned that lesson. Instead, she’d take the day to get herself back together and figure out where to go from here. She would also need to let Asher know she’d have to miss another day of work. Not only would that further hurt her finances, but she’d have to pay him extra for covering her shop so often recently. If Griff’s goal was to make her go broke, he was doing a damn good job of it. She could only pray to God that she and her friends found him and ended this soon.
Picking up her bag, she left the bathroom and found Bartol waiting for her in the living room. He held a steaming cup of coffee in his hand that he offered to her. It was a silly thing, but it meant a lot to her that he’d made it without her asking. He was totally making up for ignoring her the last couple of days after their rather heated kiss that he’d run away from.
She left her things by the bedroom door and took the coffee. “Thanks. I seriously need this.”
“I thought you would.”
Cori gazed around the living room. For the last few months, he’d never let her inside. It felt a little awkward now that she’d more or less forced him to take her in. “I’m sorry for imposing,” she said, unable to meet his gaze. “I’ll figure out somewhere else to go soon.”
“You are not imposing.” Bartol’s voice rolled over her, more soothing than usual. “I told Melena you would be staying here. At the very least, until the danger is over.”
She looked at him in surprise. “I thought you valued your privacy.”
“I do.”
“Then why let me stay here?” she asked, drawing her brows together.
This time he avoided her gaze. “It is the easiest way to watch over you and keep you safe.”
“Even after our kiss?”
Bartol ran a hand through his hair, and responded with heavy regret in his voice, “That was a mistake, but I will not allow it to affect your safety again.”
Cori flinched, not liking the implications. “Then let me go.”
“I wish I could.” His expression turned so intense it practically scorched her. “But I can’t.”
Her jaw dropped. Before she could respond, he strode past her to his bedroom. The door shut with a firm click. It occurred to her then that he hadn’t had a chance to shower or change clothes since last night, either. He’d given up his room and avoided going in there even while she slept.
She took her cup of coffee and headed for the kitchen. Maybe she could make things up to him by preparing them some breakfast. She opened the fridge, finding an almost empty milk carton, a bottle of ketchup, and a couple of slices of cheese. In the cabinets, all she found was canned soup and a mostly empty cereal box. That wasn’t going to work at all if she was going to be staying here for a while.
“Bartol,” she called out. “You and I are going grocery shopping today!”
She thought she heard a loud grunt for a reply.
