The Heart's Ashes
Page 51

He folded his broad fingers around mine, a comforting, wordless apology.
“So, what’re you guys gonna do, then? Be together?”
He looked up and held a hand to Emily when she came back in, an invitation for her to sit with us. “Yeah. I guess so.”
She fell into his arms, resting her head in the hollow of his shoulder, and the bubble of exclusion widened.
“See, Em? I always told you you’d like him eventually.”
She laughed.
“What?” Mike looked a little perplexed. “She always liked me.”
“Uh—” I looked at Emily and we both laughed. “Not really.”
“I kind of hated you for a while,” she said.
Mike’s shoulders dropped. “Really? But I’m so likeable.”
“Apparently not,” I said.
“Fine. Right then—” He held an arm out to me. “Group hug.”
“You’re kidding me, right?” I said.
“Nope. No one’s going to bed until we’ve hugged this out.”
With a deep groan in the back of my throat, I rolled into their arms and let myself be a part of the friendship again, just for a moment. “Okay, are we done now?”
“All done.” Mike released me.
“Well—” I swiped the remainder of my wet hair from my forehead and let a little shiver in under my cold clothes. “I’m gonna get changed.”
“Why are you wet, anyway, what were you doing all night?” Emily stood up as I did.
“Went swimming.”
Mike frowned. “Why?”
“Needed to clear my head.”
I could tell my words made him ache, since he thought he clouded my head, but in truth, it was already cloudy because of the Eric, then the Jason thing.
But I had no intention of telling him that.
“You gonna be okay, baby?” he extended an arm again as he stood beside me.
“Yeah.” I gave a quick one-armed hug. “I mean, I’m sure I will. You guys...” I considered them for a moment. “You actually make a pretty cute couple.”
Emily looked at Mike, her eyes a little wide with hesitation. “It actually feels kinda wrong, though.”
“It’s not.” I let out a deep breath. “If you guys are happy, that’s all I want.”
“Aw, baby, but...this isn’t what I wanted for you. I don’t want you to be hurting.”
I grinned so widely my cheeks hurt. “Something tells me I’ll be fine.”
“Now, there’s a look I haven’t seen in a long time.” Emily took a step toward me, gazing with narrowed eyes into mine, before looking to the front door, still sitting open. “Where is he?”
“Who?” Mike stood taller, looking too. “Where’s who?”
The knight appeared, walking slowly, with his hands behind his back and a cheeky grin across his lips. Emily spun on her heel and flew into David’s arms before he had the chance to get inside, making his attempt to seem caught off-guard, stumbling back a few inches, look fake enough to make Mike roll his eyes.
You’re out of human practice, David.
“David! It’s so good to see you again,” she said.
He patted her back softly, smiling at me over her shoulder. “It’s good to be back.”
Em folded out from the hug and Mike stepped in, offering his hand. “David, nice to see you again.”
“And you.”
“Are you planning to stay?” He stood taller, lifting his chin slightly.
“Not for long.” David rocked on his heels, jamming his hands into his saturated pockets. It seemed there was more exchanging between the two in the language of their bodies, leaving Emily and I clueless to the true conversation.
I watched on, my gaze darting between them; Mike, with fists clenching and a look of fury clouding his focused eyes, allowed a moment of silence for everyone else, while, what I imagined were a thousand thoughts, were for David’s eyes only. I grabbed his arm. “Mike!”
“It’s okay.” David ducked his head. “I get it.”
“Mike, don’t be such an arse.”
He shrugged. “Sorry, Ara—he needs to know what he’s doing to you.”
“He knows.” Emily touched Mike’s arm and looked at David. “There’s no way he’s leaving again. Not now. Right, David?”
A small, sympathetic smile escaped onto his lips before he shook his head. “I can stay for a while.” He looked at Mike then. “But you know it can never be forever.”
I could sense the tension in Mike, knew that he knew what this was doing to me—so I avoided seeing that in his eyes.
“Why?” Emily said. “I don’t get it? Why not?”
Awkwardness filled the air. Two humans in the room knew the truth, I wondered if David would just let her in on it. “I have a wife,” he said instead, almost convincingly.
“What?” Emily shrieked.
“David!” Just tell her the truth.
“It’s true. I just popped in to check on everyone, but I’m leaving again in a few days.”
“I don’t believe you,” Emily said.
And why would she? There was a time when she knew David better than any of us. I don’t know why he thought she’d fall for that.
David shrugged. “Believe what you want. It doesn’t change facts, Emily.”
Emily looked at Mike and rested her hand on his chest. She knew a lie when she heard one, but she was obviously going to let it go—probably assuming Mike would tell her later.
But he wouldn’t. I was certain he wouldn’t.
I closed my bedroom door on the empty lounge room and spun around to look at my vampire, returned, in all his glory, and just as infuriating as before. “Why didn’t you just tell her the truth?”
“No need to slam the door.” That cheeky, cocky grin caught a hold of his eyes.
“I didn’t slam it.”
The smile spread into conceit as he sat on the edge of my bed, dumping his duffle bag at his feet. “Did you want me to tell her?”
“Is there any point in hiding it? We’re not in high school anymore, David. And Emily isn’t stupid.”
“I know.” He reached a hand out to me; I took it and sat beside him. “But she’s in an emotional state. Not the best time to break that kind of news. Just let her get over the bliss of love—then we’ll tell her.”