Lucille #3
It wasn’t what he thought, but we’d sure come close to the real thing.
“Do you?” he repeated, louder this time with surprise. “Who? How? Have you been holding out on me?”
He grabbed my shoulders and shook me.
“With me. Lilith made me seduce her in her dream-walks,” Aspen supplied as he walked through the open door and headed toward the bedroom in nothing but rumpled sweatpants and boots.
Heat spread from my face, down my neck, and all the way to my toes.
My body could practically heat our room with how much embarrassment and shame radiated from me.
Fortunately, Aspen’s tone lacked emotion, along with our bond.
I wasn’t sure what I’d do if I felt his guilt again, or disgust, or even desire.
My first sexual experiences were tainted by lies, poisoned with bitterness.
It hurt to even think about.
Oliver’s grip turned punishing as Aspen disappeared into the room.
“I think I need to lock you in the closet.”
His sentence derailed my morose thoughts.
“What?”
“So I can kill him.”
Green flames infused his irises.
The word threat pounded in my head, the invasive force wrapping tightly around it and tapping on my reluctant Infernus.
“Oli, I’ve come to terms with it.”
“How? When have you had time to process anything, Luce?”
I rested my hand over the scar Marcus had given him.
“He’s as much a victim as everyone else.”
“Yes. But that doesn’t mean what he did to you hurt any less.”
His power receded, dimming the green in his eyes.
“Damn, Lucy. Don’t tell me he’s in the ring too.”
The rush of shower water filled the quiet.
My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth, waiting for him to drop it.
I should’ve known better, especially when he waved his hand as if to say let’s hear it.
“Oli, I don’t even know if there is a ring.”
His expression gentled.
“Do you even want to go out with Ronen tonight?”
“I don’t know. But I should be focused on my mom, your sister, the prophecies, the guardian bond…” I trailed off at Oliver’s glare.
“You’ll make yourself crazy if you don’t take a break and live a little. Maybe some time with Ronen, away from Aspen and all our problems, would do you some good.”
I glanced toward the bedroom, frowning.
Oliver stepped into my line of sight.
“What is it? What’s making you hesitate? Guilt? Obligation? Fear? Do you still have feelings for him?”
Dropping my gaze to the patterned rug, my shoulders slumped.
“I don’t know. All of it?” I whispered. “Does that make me stupid and na?ve?”
Oliver pulled me into his arms and rested his chin on my head.
“Maybe a little.”
I snorted.
“Can you do me a favor?”
I nodded against his chest.
“Give yourself time to process away from him.”
“But near Ronen?”
“No. If you want to see Ronen tonight, then do it. If you don’t, then don’t. Let me worry about Aspen. You focus on yourself. Because eventually, I want you to be confident that the male who holds your heart has the balls to realize what an honor that is.”
I nodded again, blinking away my gratitude.
Oliver was a soothing salve, always there—accepting me, valuing me, reminding me to value myself.
“I’m not sure balls has a place in that phrase,” I mumbled, my sticky cheeks rubbing against his skin.
“I like it. I think it does. Balls should be in every phrase.”
I laughed, a small sound he had a knack for pulling from me.
Eventually my laughter faded, and I asked the question I really wanted answered.
“So do you think that male is Ronen?”
Oliver took my shoulders and pushed me back, his expression severe.
“I think you’re the only one who can determine who will make you happy.
And maybe that’s just yourself. And that’s okay too.
” He softened. “Sometimes we need to hold ourselves through the mess and find our own strength to fix our broken pieces. But I’ll always be here to help you. From the ground up.”
“Not the sky down,” I finished.
“Exactly. Find your balls, Luce.”
“That could’ve been so sweet and you ruined it with—”
“My balls?” Oliver’s brows danced.
“Just stop.”
“Balls.”
“Stop.”
I walked out the door to change and head to the library. Cato would be expecting me this morning.
“Big, giant, glorious balls!” he shouted into the hall, his head poking out the door.
“You’re a child,” I yelled back, grabbing my door handle.
The shadows wrapped around it pricked me, unlocking immediately after.
“One that has a big set of balls!”
I stopped, a devious thought taking over.
The opportunity was too perfect to pass up.
Oliver constantly wanted happiness for me, and it was about time he took some for himself.
Turning back, I smiled, every lifted line a challenge.
“Prove it. Go tell Sam how you feel.”
Uncertainty flashed across his face before his eyes narrowed and he straightened.
“Fine.”
I knew baiting him would work.
Just not how much.
He strode out of the room in his boxers, purpose in every step.
My conniving smile dropped.
“You have no clothes on, Oli!”
He stopped, tilted his head as if considering it, then kept walking.
“Oliver! Is this really the impression you want to make?”
I shook my head when he rounded the corner.