Chapter 12
12
AVA
I almost kissed Bram Blackthorn. The brooding bastard was just staring at me, and I swear I could see desire in his gaze. No, I must have made it up because I’m in the middle of a nightmare right now. My ex-boyfriend is standing next to Bram, grinning up at me. Like we’re long-lost friends running into each other after years apart. The last time I saw him, he was with his intern girlfriend, and he didn’t remember me.
I hate Jamie.
When the two of us first started dating a few years ago, I couldn’t believe we were together. The fact that he even gave me the time of day was unbelievable. I was this shy, pathetic girl who’d been told growing up that I was unworthy. Stellan was always my champion, but it’s hard to ignore those words from your father. A mother’s silence only affirming that he was right. I thought Jamie was doing me a favor by being with me. That I was the lucky one.
Looking at him now, he doesn’t seem so extraordinary. Definitely not standing next to Bram. At five foot ten, Jamie is still a good half a foot taller than me. He has a decent physique. But he spends way more time on his hair than I ever did, which I suppose isn’t saying much. He required at least an hour in the bathroom before work every day, and Maiden help us all if it rained or was too humid and his hair got messed up.
Now that I’m looking at him, his eyes are a little smaller and squintier than I remember. Honestly, they look a little mean as he grins up at me.
The feelings of inadequacy that I always felt with him sweeps back over me. At the time, I never realized how often he would remind me how lucky I was to be with him. He had this way of talking to me and manipulating me into feeling like he was doing me a favor by dating me. He liked me, despite all my faults, and I should be grateful for that. It’s nauseating to look back and see how long I put up with that kind of treatment.
“You’re looking good, Ava.”
Bram and I both turn to stare at Jamie with twin looks of disbelief on our faces. How does he even know who I am? Someone must have reminded him about me, or shown him pictures to jog his memory, because the last time he saw me, I was a stranger.
“Thanks, I’m kind of a mess, but yeah.” I fumble over the compliment, pulling off the yellow jersey I’m still wearing over my coat and dropping it to the bale of hay I’m standing on. I know I should just say thank you and move on. Even though his words don’t sound disingenuous, they feel that way. I’m a mess right now.
I dressed for warmth and comfort today. There’s barely a coat of mascara on my eyelashes and the only reason I’m wearing foundation is for the sunscreen. My body is mostly covered under winter gear, so I can’t imagine why he thinks I look good.
“Where is your girlfriend?” As soon as the words leave my mouth, I cringe. I don’t really care where his girlfriend is. I don’t know anything about her, except that she’s his intern and she’s got a landing strip. That’s not something I ever needed to know about another person. I don’t have any desire to extend this conversation.
“Oh, that. We’re not together. She was a mistake.” Jamie briefly looks at Bram, and then back to me. “Could we maybe find someplace private to talk?”
“No,” Bram says before I get a chance to answer. His aura has turned a dark purple and the black swirls are spinning like an eddy.
“Ava, I really need to talk to you.” There’s a scolding tone to Jamie’s voice that has my shoulders lifting with tension.
“Ava needs to take care of me. I have a concussion. I could die if I fall asleep, so she’s in charge of keeping me awake.” Bram’s voice is so low it sounds like he swallowed a fistful of gravel.
Jamie gapes at Bram, and then puffs up his chest. “Maybe you should go to the hospital then.”
“No need. Ava will nurse me back to health.” Bram stares down his nose at my ex. The gray of his eyes grows darker, as if the black in his aura has infected their color.
Jamie swallows and clears his throat, slowly taking a step back. “How about I’ll come find you later and we can talk then.”
“She’ll still be on deathwatch. I wouldn’t bother,” Bram answers for me. How hard did he hit his head? Watching Jamie flounder is amusing as hell, but what has gotten into Bram?
“Sure, whatever,” I reply, hoping Jamie will leave. He gives me his most devastating smile. I used to think it was so pretty, but now it makes me uncomfortable.
“Good. Great, I'll talk to you later then.” Jamie scampers off, throwing a worried look over his shoulder at Bram as he goes.
“What was that about?” I jump off the bale of hay and look up at Bram. His eyes are still darker than normal. What is that? I know Roman has shadow magic and can physically manipulate the light. Bram has similar magic. Is this a manifestation of that? If so, why don’t Roman’s eyes do this?
“I don’t like him.” Bram watches my ex wiggle through the crowd.
“Join the club,” I mumble, still fascinated by the darkness twisting in his aura. I’ve never seen anything like it. The temptation to touch him, to see if it changes color again, hits me like a truck. I snatch my hand back when I realize it’s risen on its own and is almost on Bram’s bicep.
“Why are you even giving him the time of day? Didn’t he cheat on you?” Bram snarls at me, as if I’m the asshole in this situation. I glare right back at him and then slap my forehead.
“Thanks for the reminder. I knew there was something I was forgetting about him. Here I thought I hated him because he left wrappers on the counter instead of putting them in the garbage two inches away. But you’re right. It’s because he cheated on me. How silly of me to forget.”
“Then why were you being nice to him? He doesn’t deserve even a morsel of your kindness.” Bram steps forward, invading my space. Our coats are flush, and damn if I don’t wish it was summer and we had a lot fewer layers on.
“I’m a big girl, Bram. I can take care of myself.” Why do I sound so breathless?
“Can you?” If possible, Bram gets even closer. His head is tipped down and he’s glaring at me. The black is gone from his eyes, though and there’s only stormy gray remaining.
“I think you hit your head so hard you knocked all the sense out of yourself.” My phone buzzes in my pocket. I’m tempted to ignore it until Bram gives me an order.
“Don’t get that.”
It’s still daylight. It only just occurs to me that people are watching us. I see my parents across the way, my father’s eyes narrowed on me. Taking out my phone, I swipe open a message.
“For fuck’s sake,” I grumble. It’s another nipple pic.
A bark of laughter erupts from Bram when he looks down. No questions about why on Earth I have a very hairy nipple staring up at me from my phone. That’s when I know for sure this is his doing.
“What did you do?” I shove the phone in his face. If I have to keep seeing all these nip shots, then he’s going to have to look at them too.
Bram plucks the phone from my hand and starts looking through my messages. “Are you keeping all of them?”
“Give me my phone.” I jump like a sad kid playing a game of keep away with someone twice their size.
“Seriously, are you into this? Why are there so many?”
“That’s just from this morning, asshole. They come in faster than I can delete them. This is your fault, isn’t it?”
Bram’s laughing so hard, he’s holding his side with his free hand. His aura is a yellow so golden that I’m momentarily stunned speechless by it. Then I remember all the hairy nipples.
“Alright then. You want to play this game. It’s on.”
“What are you going to do? Put a walkie-talkie in my plant?”
I elbow him in the stomach, and he drops my phone. In a feat of dexterity, I didn’t think myself capable of, I catch the phone and stomp off.
“Dick,” I call over my shoulder, a hint of a smile on my face. Why does it feel so good to be around this asshole?