Page 83 of Those Who Are Bound

“No, I meant to assign emotion to it, even if regret.”

Quietly, she responded, “Of course I regret things. But this isn’t about Gage and me.”

He acknowledged gently, “I know, but I appreciate that you’re giving me these insights. They’re little gifts, more meaningful than a shirt or a pin.”

A blush creeped over her cheeks again, and she laughed at him. “I don’t know, this is a pretty awesome pin. I’m going to love the questions I get about it. I think only alumni would know what it means.”

He let her lighten the moment because, just like that: Gage Rork was no longer to be discussed. He was the most present absent person ever. He was fascinated by how quickly her walls clicked into place. He could almost hear the steel slats sliding into formation.

Taking a deep breath, he twisted his torso as he looked out the window over the small kitchen table. “I’ll go see if she’ll talk to me.” He cast a side-eye back at her. “Although I think it’s a waste of my time, and I’d rather be here with you.”

“Take care of her; I’m fine.” She walked around the counter, heading toward the door.He followed suit. At the door, she turned to him. “Say goodbye before you go?”

Jonah ran a hand along her arm, knowing it wouldn’t be wise to do so. The softness of her skin called to him more than she could imagine.He responded honestly, “It’s best if I say goodbye here.”

Concern collided with disappointment as she looked back at him, unable to stop the thought that his hesitation was because he was unsure. About her.

Jonah tugged her to him, brushing his lips along her temple. “Stop overthinking it.” He reached for the door.

Jonah purposefully looked away, his own lips curving in a satisfaction that he could create a look of complete surrender in her eyes. She was already his, begging for him in her mind. The idea pleased him that she was so invested mentally that she would have few physical limitations, if any; that would go for both of them. Grabbing his bag from the floor where he’d left it, he glanced back as he pushed open the screen door, noting her flushed cheeks. “See you later, kitten.”

As he stepped onto the last stair, he looked over his shoulder. She had shifted to lean against the door, gaze admiring as she watched him, fanning herself with her hand.

Sweet Jesus.

“I’m telling you this, baby, because I think it’s important for you to know,” Lucy said into the air. “And I don’t want any secrets between us.”

Jonah frowned as he silently pushed the door open to the office, looking around; they were alone. Lucy’s phone was on the desk next to her, upside down. The computer screen had a form on it. “Who are you talking to?”

Lucy jumped in her chair with a startled squeak, whipping around with a guilty, angry look on her face. “What are you doing here, Jonah? Can’t you knock?”

“I thought you might be on the phone, so no, I didn’t knock.” He looked around again. “Since when do you talk to yourself in the third person and call yourself baby?”

Lucy scowled. “Oh, shut up. What do you want?”

“Really, Luce?” he asked gently, rubbing the back of his neck.

Lucy shook her head at him and turned away. “I’m not in the mood for another lecture. I have work to do.”

Jonah moved farther into the room, his gaze going to the pictures on the wall. He paused, looking at the one of Elliott sitting in the raised blade of a Bobcat and the ox-like man standing next to it; her brother. The eyes were the same. His beard was as black as her hair; the slant of his features conveyed a kinship. “This is him?”

She didn’t look. “Yes, that’s Gage.”

Jonah looked at Elliott. He’d seen her smile, and he’d seen her laugh, but he’d not seen the complete openness radiated in this picture. As bright of a light as she was for him, the brilliance of her in this picture was blinding. And this was after she’d lost her parents… but before she’d lost her brother.

He felt a sudden desire to see it returned to her, that level of brilliance. He wanted to give it back to her.

Lucy added in a snide undertone, “The one you don’t care about.”

Jonah sighed. “I never said that.” He looked at the man in the picture again. He was strong, thick; death by hanging… What an odd choice. His neck was corded and muscular. It couldn’t have been easy or quick. Jonah knew people who walked to the brink. He knew people who didn’t come back.Howthey decided to go never ceased to shock and sadden him.

She looked over her shoulder, watching him. “My first thought when I saw that picture—other than he was freaking smoking hot—was that he was the massive, steroidal version to her uber-feminine splendor. I envied their parents’ ability to make two such beautiful specimens.”

Jonah couldn’t disagree with her assessment.

“But because you have a hard-on for his sister—”

“Careful, Lucy,” he warned.

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