“I’m sorry. You know I didn’t go there for that reason, and nothing happened. He was drunk and overly aggressive. All I did was restrain him long enough to shake some sense into him,” I explain.
“Whatever Araya. You’re confusing the hell out of me. It feels like I’m not the only one you want, and I don’t deserve that no matter what I’ve done. If this is your way of punishing me for fucking up in the past, then you win. Just leave me out of your twisted plot,” he gripes, and then he darts by me.
“Hale,” I exasperate. “I’m sorry. I would never do anything like this to punish you,” I whisper. “I love you,” I murmur, and he turns to try to kiss me.
I draw back when I see all the eyes on us, and he nods sardonically.
“Then prove it. I’ve done all I can to prove my love for you. If you can’t tell your fucking ex you love me, then this can’t be as real as you made me think it was. You can let me know when it’s okay to love you,” he growls, and then he storms off to join Clay once more.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
“You’re with me,” Brazen says with a chipper tone as he returns, and his soft pale eyes show their excitement.
“Of course I am,” I exasperate.
“Hey, what can I say? Luck of the draw,” he murmurs, feigning innocence.
“Sure it was,” I grumble, and then I follow him out to the streets I shouldn’t be on right now.
I tense up instantly, and then Brazen’s hand holds mine closer.
“I promise I won’t let anyone say anything,” he offers so sweetly, and I cling to his comforting grip like a lifeline.
The full blooded eyes glare at me the moment they catch my scent, and then they back off when they see Brazen. I’m curious as to what sort of reputation he could have acquired. He’s always been the most gentle man I’ve ever known.
“So why is everyone so leery of you?” I ponder aloud as the eyes continue to look, but the fearful mouths stay silent.
“Because I’m me,” he smugly retorts. “I wouldn’t have let you go off with anyone else. I know I can keep you safe here.”
“You’re being very vague and evasive,” I murmur while staring suspiciously at him.
“I’m sorry,” he chuckles out. “A man has to have a little mystery though.”
“You’re seriously not going to tell me?” I ask with a curious smirk.
“I’m seriously keeping my lips sealed because I love how terribly it’s irritating you,” he teases, and I just grin while rolling my eyes.
He seems so different. He’s usually so composed, intense, and very much in control at all times. I’ve seen him completely mad, raging drunk, and he’s been a dirty-talking-teasing son of a bitch all of the sudden.
“So where are we going, or is that a mystery as well?” I mock.
“We’re going downtown. A friend of mine told me about a bar where I could find an outsider that came in from the bordering lines of Salan. He might have seen something, and it’s the best lead anyone had. I thought you’d appreciate it,” he boasts, and I stifle a grin when I see how smug he’s acting.
“Brazen Mordel. I can’t believe my fucking eyes,” a guy gushes from across the street, and he rushes over to greet him.
“Araya, this is Corbin,” he says in acknowledgement, but I just take a step behind him when the guy sniffs the air carrying my hybrid scent.
Brazen’s hand keeps a tight lock on my hand, and I put my free one on his back as I lean against him.
“You don’t have to hide from me, babe,” Corbin chuckles out. “I’m harmless,” he continues.
“She’s not hiding from you because she’s scared of what you’ll do to her. She’s putting me between us so that she doesn’t tear you apart by accident. She doesn’t trust very many of our kind” Brazen adds with a casual but proud tone.
I only trust one full blood.
“Oh. A gifted hybrid. Sweet,” Corbin says mildly, and then I step out from behind my buffer to gauge the unaffected eyes of the full blood staring at me.
“You’re not appalled by me?” I muse.
