Rosette gave me my phone and <b>I </b>stared at it with a scowl. I took it, managing a small smile as I stood up, dragging my pants up.
“I got to take this,” I said, kissing her before I moved to my room.
I released a breath before I picked up the call.
“Father wants you back home,” he said as soon as I picked up, his voice cool and sounding like… Kade.
“Well, hello to you too, brother,” I grumbled, sitting at the edge of the bed.
“I thought that wasn’t necessary seeing as you left without so much as a word.” Now he sounded bitter.
I ran my hair through my hair, frustrated. “Look, I’m sorry. It just… I didn’t n to leave.”
There was a pause on his end. Then in a quiet voice, he asked, “How is she?”
I don’t know why, but his asking about her filled my mouth with a bitter taste.
“Fine<b>,</b>” <b>I </b>answered, my voice clipped.
Another longer pause. “What’s with your tone? I was just asking about her.”
I sighed, falling backwards and facing the ceiling. “Sorry for being a dick. I’m just- When I think about what we all had with her, I want to kill someone. From the very beginning, I wanted her all to myself. And then you bastards had to butt in and take her away from me.”
“We never took her from you,” he said, his voice soft.
“But that’s how I feel.”
This time, the pause went on for a whole minute. And I could practically hear his thoughts.
“You love her.”
I said nothing. There was nothing to say.
He sighed, and I heard him shift.
“Do you?” I asked, afraid of what his reply might be. “No. Don’t answer that. Forget I even asked. Can you just let go of whatever feelings you have for her? You and Kross. Please, brother. Let me have this.”
“How does she feel?”
I remember her words, that soft look in her eyes. “We’re getting there. There’s hope, Kade.”
“Then she’s <b>all </b>yours.”
“What about Kross<b>?</b><b>” </b>
He scoffed and said nothing. That was all the answer I needed.
“Thanks, man. I would say I love you, but then I might gag.”
He chuckled, and we fell silent.
“So the old man wants me, eh?” I asked after a while.
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
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“Why else if not to resume your duties? He doesn’t like the thought of one of his sons forsaking his duties and going after a woman.”
“A human woman, no less<b>,</b><b>” </b><b>I </b>scoffed, but the sound was bitter.
Father would never approve of this. He had brought Rosette to us as a ything. Anything more than that? It was a no in his book. And Salias Varkas… He was a dangerous man.
“Be careful, brother,” Kade said, and I knew he was thinking the same. “Protect your woman. Father hates obstacles in both his path and ours. He’ll get rid of anything that doesn’t go his way.”
“I’ll kill him before he everys a hand on her,” I growled, my chest tight.
“Easy. Just protect her. Always. And… It’s the full moon soon. What are you going to do about that?”
“I’lle home then.”
“Good.” Another shift. “I think I have an idea why Father wants you back home so badly. There’s apany from Italy that he wants to partner with. They’re asking for something, but all I have is a guess right now, so I can’t say,”
I sighed heavily. “Have you ever wished you were born in a different family? A family with fewer responsibilities.”
“I do,” he admitted softly. “But wishes are for dreamers.”
Yeah Yeah, they were.
“How’s Kross?”
It was his turn to sigh. “Still miserable. But he’s still doing his work.”
“If he were dying, he would still do his work.”
“He would. Goodbye, Axel. And be careful.”
“Don’t <b>say </b>goodbye like we won’t ever see again.”
<b>12:11 </b>Thu, <b>Sep </b>11
He said nothing and just ended the call. I tossed the phone, blinking up at the ceiling.
“Fuck,” I cursed softly.
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Things were going to get reallyplicated. I didn’t think of this before I entered that ne to London. There was a chance that I just put Rosette in danger. But nothing would happen to her. I would protect her with my life.
I got off the bed and left the room. But when I reached the living room, she wasn’t there. A rustle came from the kitchen and I walked towards it.
She had her head deep in the fridge, her <b>ass </b>in the air.
“Wattchu doing?<b>” </b>
She yelped, bumping her head at the top of the fridge. I winced, moving to her. I took her hand, dragging her to me and closing the fridge.
“You scared me!” she yelled, hitting my chest.
“Apologies,” I muttered, leaning in and nibbling the lobe of her ear. “<b>It’s </b>my fault you’re so jumpy. What were you doing?<b>” </b>
“I’m starving.”
“Ah yes. And that brings me to day four. Since it’ste, let’s just cook dinner, maybe watch a movie.”
“That sounds normal,” she says, wrapping her arms around my neck.
“I’m trying to be normal,” I admitted. “I’ve been anything but growing up, but I have you now, and I want to be normal.”
“What if I said I don’t want normal?<b>” </b>she asked softly, blinking up at me. “What if I say I want you as you are?”
I shook my head. “You don’t know what you’re saying. You don’t know what I am.”
“Will you ever tell me?”
“Will you still look at me the same? Will you be able to hold me, still?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“I’m a monster, Rosette”
“We’re all monsters, Axel. We all have beasts in us. Everyone does. Even those people who are sweet and kind. They have monsters and demons too. So it doesn’t really matter what you are. You’ll still be Axel to me.”
I buried my face in her neck, my throat tight. “Another thing I’ll hold you to.”
“I’ll be here to be held.”
12:11 Thu, Sep <b>11 </b>
“So no dinner and movie night?”
“I never said so.”
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