Page 85 of The Book Reader
“Come on,” Gaelan says, pulling my hand and leading me back over to sit at the kitchen island. He pours me another glass of wine and sets it in front of me. “Relax, I’m going to make you my specialty dish.”
I use my hand to wipe my tears away and smile. “What’s that?”
“Grilled cheese.”
I burst out laughing.
Chapter 30
GAELAN
Grilled cheese is a lot harder to make than I thought it was going to be, which reminds me that just because I’m a lord, doesn’t mean I’m good at everything. I remind her that as a young man, I was more inclined to fight with my swords and daggers than to cook. She laughs, which is music to my ears. Ari had looked so broken, crying with worry and fear.
We sit on the floor in our bedroom, my back leaning against the sofa, my legs stretched out with Ari’s head resting on them. One of my hands is cupping her breast, while she plays with the ring on her finger—Maddie’s ring.
“What happened?” Ari asks me. I’ve been waiting for that question since I noticed it on her finger, and my mind goes back to the last moments I had with Maddie—the pain she had to go through, what they did to her.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” My reply comes out harsher than intended. Watching those daemons rape and kill Maddie did something to me; I wasn’t the same daemon for a long time after. I hurt people, and I fucked women and left.
Ari turns her head to look at me, her eyes searching my face with hope. I know she wants me to open up about things that I’veseen in the past. Some she’s hoping will connect her to the book. A feather-light smile crosses her perfect mouth before she turns away and goes back to playing with the ring. Waiting.
“Sometimes,” I start, clearing my throat, “I would have to sit there and be completely helpless as they made me watch whatever Macy had decided to do to you. Watch that last sparkle of light drain from your eyes.” I lower my head, wanting to hide the pain and rage I feel coursing through me.
Ari moves so she’s straddling my legs, her voice a soft whisper, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring it all back up again, it’s just…” Her voice trails off, making me lift my head.
“What, my Rose?”
“Did you move on? Think that it wasn’t worth all the pain?”
“I tried. A lot. Different women, multiple women, men… I tried so hard. But I just couldn’t stop loving you. Knowing that I would see you again kept me going.”
“So, you have never loved another?”
I shake my head. “No, even if I did find other women, none of them were you. My soul wanted only you.”
A look crosses her face that I don’t recognize. “Did you wish that it wasn’t like this?”
I frown. “Never, Ari. Where is all of this coming from?”
She blinks and huffs a little. “It’s nothing, I just—I have these feelings for you, and I don’t know what to do with them. You are telling me that you’ve been with other women, which makes me want to scratch their eyes out.”
She stands up and starts pacing in front of me, and I can’t help the grin that spreads over my face—she’s jealous.
This is new.
“Rose?”
“Let’s not talk about it anymore, okay?” She snaps
“No, not okay.” I stand and pull her to me. “Would you like the list? I think I would enjoy watching you scratch some eyes out,” I chuckle.
She rolls her eyes at me. “Not funny, Gaelan,” she replies snarkily as she rests her head on my chest. “This is all so fast, yet I feel like we’ve been together for years, like my heart wants and needs you., I’m just waiting for my brain to catch up.”
I move my hand to lift her chin so she’s looking at me again. “Let it catch up when it’s ready. I love you, that’s never going to change.” I lower my head and kiss her. “You don’t need to be jealous; it’s always going to be you and no one else.”
Her eyes lock with mine, and she nods her head. I chuckle lightly, my Rose, still a little fighter at heart. I reach for her hand and lower it to my cock that’s currently trying to rip my pants open. “This… feel this, feel how much I want you. This never goes away. I only think about you, and I’m ready to fuck you to within an inch of your life.”
I can see her need shadow her eyes; she licks her lips, and I almost die from the sight of it.
