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Do badan, ek jaan: two bodies, one soul.
My gaze drifted from Peter’s handsome face to the swollen welts on his chest, glowing red beneath his angelic white shirt. “Oh, Paavak…I’m so sorry.”
He flinched and rubbed the lashes as if he could erase them. “I’m fine.”
“Who hurt you?”
“Branson’s back. But don’t fret—”
“Bastard.”
I wished tonight was Christmas not Halloween.
I wanted to leap forward two months and stop him from ever being abused again.
“I can give you the rest of the arnica tablets I took after Emerald Bruises. They really helped heal all my paintball marks.”
He smiled distractedly and shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. I didn’t drag you here to talk about my injuries—”
“Do you want to talk about what happened the night of Topaz Tor—”
“Nope.” He rubbed his mouth. “Definitely not.”
I winced, remembering how we’d stood side by side on that dance floor.
How we’d climaxed at the same time to different Masters.
How he’d been dragged off by a Master named Wilson and Henri had carted me the other way.
Despite my wariness of telling him I loved him tonight, I’d told him during that game.
I’d given him what he asked for and…we hadn’t mentioned it since.
Rubbing the goosebumps on my arms, I shrugged. “We need to talk about it. It’s been awkward between us for weeks.”
He dropped his hand with a heavy huff. “Ily…please don’t.” Flinching, he watched a black-caped Master drift past our transparent wall of stardust. “I know what I asked you to do, and I know why you went along with me. I know it didn’t mean anything and…” He gave me the saddest smile all while his eyes glossed with grief. “We’re all good, jaanu. Seriously. I’m fine.”
The cavernous echo in his voice.
The aching despair.
Henri shot a look in our direction. He swayed toward me, his entire body bristling with protectiveness.
But I subtly shook my head.
We were safe.
We weren’t far.
And Peter needed me.
I owed my wonderful friend some company. Especially when his entire energy felt…empty.
Worse than empty…desolate.
Peter’s white outfit suddenly no longer looked like an earthbound angel but a shroud—grave clothes even while he still breathed.
Grabbing his hand, I squeezed. “Paavak, what is it? You’re scaring me.”
