That caused his mouth to twitch and his brow to lift with mirth.
“Most people are used to red roses, but not this Wildfire. It stands out and I would like to think I do too. Anyways I’m rambling, I just love flowers. They’re so pretty and come in so many different versions, colors, and sizes. So I would like to maintain them for the next few weeks while Marvin is gone.”
My cheeks suddenly flushed. I didn’t mean to ramble like I had.
Kairus didn’t respond to me right away. Eventually he nodded. “Fine. If it’ll make you happy, have at it.” His eyes narrowed. “Just don’t fuck it up. This area is special.” His eyes swept the garden.
My smile brightened and I stood straight. “I won’t. Don’t worry.”
Kairus smirked and shook his head, then turned to leave. A giddy feeling flooded my stomach, causing it to flutter wildly. They were small gestures but I appreciated Kairus doing things to make my stay here more comfortable. It was a shame that not everyone got to know this side of the harsh man they believed he was.
“So…” I started, clearing my throat and shifting in my seat when his eyes landed on me. Nolan tilted his head and waited for me to continue.
“You and Kairus, you’ve been friends for a while right?” My hands fumbled in my lap.
One corner of his mouth hiked up. Mirth appeared on his face and he tilted his head. “Our whole lives.”
I tucked my lips into my mouth. While I had grown comfortable around Kairus, Nolan still made me nervous. Hewasthe man that cut my dad’s finger off. While he came off as easy going, I could see in his dark eyes he was anything but. His eyes were chilling and full of mischief. There was something haunting about the man. Something that told me he wasn’t someone you wanted to cross and be on their bad side.
“So you know about his childhood, about his family?” Nolan’s demeanor instantly changed. His eyes grew distant and his body tensed.
“I do,” he told me stiffly.
Licking my lips, I searched the living room for nothing in particular. “I know a little about his dad, but he doesn’t really speak on his mom. Can you tell me about her?”
Again, that chilling smirk formed on Nolan’s face. He stepped away from the stone fireplace and walked toward me. Reaching out he brushed some fly away hairs out of my face and brushed over my ear with his thumb.
“Now why would you want to open that can of worms. Hmm?”
Blinking slowly, I swallowed hard and shot my eyes to the entrance of the room. Kairus didn’t like other men touching me. From the last time he was around it was clear his friend wasn’t an exception to the rule. I didn’t want to cause any problems with them.
“I just want to know more about him. He’s so misunderstood.”
He chuckled lowly. “Misunderstood?”
My eyes narrowed and I nodded. “Yes! He’s not as evil as people think.” I stood on that fact because the Kairus I had grown to know still wasn’t someone I would ever want to betray but he also had things about him that showed he was still human and not a monster.
“You must want me to cut that hand off and place it in a glass jar on my mantle.” Kairus’s voice rang through the room, causing me to jump.
Nolan, unphased, chuckled and stepped back from me, allowing his hand to drop.
“Are you ready?” he asked, ignoring his friend’s threat.
Kairus and Nolan were going out of town for a couple of days. I didn’t know why, but by ease dropping I learned it was inGrim Wood Cityand was for a business meeting. I felt indifferent about it. Since the night I snuck into his room, I had been sleeping next to Kairus every night. I thought it might be a one-time thing, but it turned into something neither of us spoke on. Going back to sleeping alone wasn’t something I wanted to happen, even if it was just a couple of days. Not to mention I had grown to enjoy his company, whether it was our daily eating together, cleaning his music room while he played, him coming out to the garden and watching as I worked, or just knowing he was in the house while I cleaned.
Kairus paid attention to me, not just looked at me. Each time he was around me I felt like he was studying me to learn anotherpart no one else bothered to. It was more than just getting to know me, it was like he was obsessed withlearningall he could about me. Strangely I liked the attention. Since I was so used to blending in the crowd, it felt good to know someone sought me out.
I didn’t know how to handle him being gone since growing accustomed to being around him. Most would be ecstatic for their captor to leave, but not me. I wasn’t even sure I was a captive anymore. My mind and heart seemed to be pulling in two different directions when it came to Kairus nowadays.
Kairus stepped further into the living room. I stood and walked to him. His glare never left his friend. Once in front of him, I smiled softly and lifted my hand, brushing it across his five o’clock shadow. Another thing I had grown to love was his morning shaving I gave him and the five o’clock shadow that always developed later in the day.
“Lillian is in charge of the estate while I’m gone,” he said, finally looking down at me. He no longer flinched or got upset when I touched his scarred face. My heart pulsated erratically knowing he trusted me that much.
“Okay.” I nodded. “I want to go see my mom.”
His hand lifted and circled my wrist. He gripped it but didn’t frighten me. “Crusher will be your guard while I’m gone. He will take you to your parents’ house.”
“And Jatavia’s too?” His eyes narrowed at me. He pulled me closer into his solid frame. My head went back more so I could maintain eye contact with him.
