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judgment at all.
 I think so, I whispered, feeling like a pussy.
 You need to tell them about your past, Zane. I know you don t
want to, and I will if you can t, but I think it should come from you. It
will help.
 How will them knowing I had a fucked-up family and life before
becoming a warrior help? I growled, hating my past.
 Because they ll understand why they need to ease you into both
of them being around you at the same time. Plus, it s not something
you should hide from your mates. No matter how hard it was, I never
regretted telling Rory everything. Fate wouldn t have given both of
them to you if they couldn t handle it.
 What if they get too freaked out and run again? I asked, voicing
my biggest fear.
 Dude, not to rub in what happened last night, but you almost
fried your mate s nerves and he climbed back into bed with you.
They re not going anywhere. He seemed so sure about it that I was
willing to trust his instincts.
 Okay, I ll talk to them. I m just not sure I can tell them both at
once.
52 Joyee Flynn
 Then tell just one of them and let them tell the other. They can
feel each other s emotions, so I doubt anything will be lost in
translation, Isaac suggested, but I shook my head.
 No, I need to tell them together. They re going to start thinking I
only want one of them if I keep dividing my time between them.
 Just go slow. You re doing better already, and I don t want you
to crawl back in your hole.
I was glad when we walked back up to the house, ready to be done
with this discussion. It was as if I d fried my own nerves with
everything that had happened. I could only deal with issues a little at a
time. Too much and I felt like I was going to overload and burst.
 This feels kinda silly. I chuckled as Isaac escorted me back to
my cell/room thing.
 Just humor me until I know you won t snap again, he said
gently. I winced but nodded. That was fair.  I m not bringing it up to
be a shit, but I wanted you to understand why. The road to getting
better isn t straight and narrow. Hell, mine had all types of twists and
loop-de-loops to where, if I didn t have someone watching me, I
would have jumped right off the path.
 But at some point in time you re going to have to have to trust I
can do this, I replied with a nod, not fighting, as we walked back into
my room.  Letting you go to the airport to run away was one of the
hardest things I ve ever had to do. I was so scared you wouldn t come
back or would off yourself. But I trusted you to tell me the truth.
 Right, but you had a few days of keeping me in the hospital
before we got to that point. So I at least get a few days of you here,
he countered. I shrugged and pulled off my sweatshirt.  I ll see you
after work.
 Okay. Can you send both my mates in with breakfast? If proving
to you I can handle things gets me out of here and back into my
normal life, then I will.
A Zane Po Boy 53
 Why are you so against this all of a sudden? I thought you were
going to take this time as a sabbatical. He seemed confused and hurt.
That wasn t what I wanted.
 Because it s a cage, Isaac. It s a nicely dressed-up, fully
equipped cage, but it s still a cage. You had to know how hard that
would be for me, and everyone just keeps looking at me with pity.
His face paled so fast that I realized he didn t ever realize it.
 I m so fucking sorry, he whispered.  I wasn t thinking. I just
wanted to help you.
 I know, and I m not mad, but it s still hard.
 How about we amend the rules, he said quickly when I turned
toward the bathroom.  If you promise not to fight your mates and stay
with both of them, you can leave the room anytime you like. Deal?
 Yeah, that s cool, I sighed with relief. Suddenly I didn t feel so
trapped.  I can handle that.
 Okay, good. Good. I didn t think about when 
 It s okay. Go get your ass to work. I chuckled, not wanting to
delve into the past when I was going to real soon when I talked to my
mates. When I saw Isaac still looked upset, I decided to try and throw
him a bone.  How about you and I just have dinner tonight? Get
Hadley to make lasagna and we ll just hang out if Rory s okay with
it.
 Yeah, he goes into heat tomorrow so he ll be cool with it. My
friend s face looked equal parts relieved and happy at the idea. He
gave me a wave and headed out. I walked into the bathroom and
turned on the shower. It amazed me how sweaty and tired I was after
simply walking. But then again, after months and months of not
taking care of myself, sometimes just getting out of bed was
exhausting.
I just finished showering, reaching for a towel to dry off, while
still lost in my thoughts. I wrapped it around my hips, grabbing
another one for my hair, thinking I needed a haircut as I stepped out
54 Joyee Flynn
into the room. Brian gasped and almost dropped the tray of food he
was holding. He put it down on the table and raced over to me.
 Dear god, he whispered as he traced the jagged marks on my
chest with his fingers. I realized what had him so freaked. I glanced
down and winced at all the claw marks still marring my body.  Why
haven t they healed?
 Injuries from demons normally take longer to heal, but since my
body wasn t at full health, it s taking longer. I shrugged, not really
trying to make a big deal about it. I shivered when both his hands
started tracing the marks.
 Can t the doc heal ya? Banning asked from across the room,
concern in his tone.
 Riley s got enough people who need to use his gift. Plus, he s got
a baby and other responsibilities, I answered as I moved away from
Brian.  They ll heal in time. They re not life threatening or anything.
They re just ugly.
 Nothing on ya be ugly, Brian whispered as he stepped closer
again. I started to get nervous until I realized Banning was still in the
same spot. He was watching me intently with those gorgeous silver
eyes, but his body was still, indicating he had no intention of moving.
 What are you doing? I asked in a higher pitch than my normal
tone.
 I just wanted a good-morning kiss, Brian admitted shyly,
blushing a pretty color that turned me on.  I thought it would be okay
after last night. I apologize 
I didn t even let him finish that sentence. I leaned over and
brushed my lips over his. He moaned and leaned against me.  I m not
good at this stuff, I said in a husky voice I barely recognized.
 Always assume I don t understand and not that I m trying to rebuff
you. I glanced up at Banning.  Okay? [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]