10. Wounds
10
WOUNDS
DANTE
T he entire Karma household has gathered under the large gazebo again, except for Tessa. Her absence is like a wound in itself.
I hated being away from her last night, but Karma was clear: I have to learn to find confidence and acceptance within myself. It isn’t fair to solely rely on my relationship with Tessa.
Karma warned that I could place all my worth in Tessa’s approval, and if I perceived any wavering on her part, imagined or real, that I could fall apart.
I don’t think I’m that fucking fragile. But when I remember my obsessive behaviors with the bizarre claiming sex, I see Karma might have a point.
I came pretty close to biting Tessa and drawing blood—marking her like a feral beast. Who does that? I mean, sure, it happens in werewolf romance books, but even in the supernatural world of the gods, that’s a bit much.
Kurtis glances at me sheepishly. Evan is avoiding me. I have a bad feeling they’re planning to steal Tessa from me.
Is she truly mine if she can be stolen?
I brush it off. I’ll talk with her soon and work it out.
Karma guides us through another meditation, dragging up more trauma and memories. I’m not the only one in the group who hates this.
When we finish, Karma calls to Chara and lets the agent know she’s next for a private session.
Evan keeps watching me as we make our way back to the house, looking as if a question is on his tongue.
“What?” I ask flatly.
“How bad was the private session?” he asks.
Not the question I was expecting.
My first reaction is to blow him off and walk away, but the three of us have been through so much together. We have a bond that shouldn’t be fractured just because we all fell for the same beautiful woman. So I give in and tell him how it was.
“Different, not bad. She used her healing power to help with some of Instant Karma’s damage to my soul. She also counseled me about a few personal things.”
“Personal?” Kurtis prompts. Of course, he would pry into my privacy. He was never great with boundaries.
“You do understand the word, right?” I snark. “It seems you both don’t know how to back off.”
“Hey, no need to be a dick.” Kurtis steps into my space.
My goodwill vanishes with his aggression, triggering the wounded part of me that my father created—when I had to match violence with violence. “Seems like I do need to be a dick. I know what you guys are doing with Tessa.”
“She told you?” Kurtis asks with a frown.
Told me? What the fuck happened?
I don’t want to lose face with them anymore, so I just storm off. When Tessa gets back, I plan to ask her if they made a move. If they pressured her into something.
I don’t know if I can wait that fucking long to get answers.