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“It is,” he agrees, his gaze softening, “but it can also be hard. There’s a lot of darkness in the world.”
“Tell me about it,” I mutter, thinking of my own struggles.
He tilts his head, studying me with those piercing brown eyes. “We are all stronger than we are willing to give ourselves credit for. Even you, Aria.”
The way he says my name sends a shiver down my spine, and I look away, unable to hold his gaze. “Thanks,” I mumble, not sure how to respond.
We lapse into silence again, and I feel oddly comforted by his presence. There’s a sense of safety with him here—a feeling I haven’t had in a long time. As the dryer rumbles on, I sneak another glance at Malachi, wondering what it is about him that makes me feel this way.
“So why Puritan City?” he asks suddenly, breaking the silence.
I blink, caught off guard by the question. “What do you mean?”
“Why did you choose to live here? It doesn’t seem like the safest place for someone like you,” he questions, his words hitting a little too close to home.
I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “How do you know I’m not from Puritan City?” I cross my arms defensively.
“Your accent.” Malachi smirks.
“Busted.” I sigh and slump into a chair. “You can take the girl away from the sunshine, but you can’t take the sunshine out of the girl.”
Malachi’s smile turns into one full of teeth, and damn me, he has a dimple. “Sometimes, the places we end up are the ones we need the most.”
Well, I was not expecting wisdom with this little encounter. It’s like talking to that owl from Winnie the Pooh.
I raise an eyebrow, intrigued. “You think so?”
“I do,” he says, a hint of a smile on his lips. “I like to think the universe guides us to our forever home. As long as we listen, then our strength grows.”
He keeps saying that, but he knows nothing about me. Nothing at all. He has no idea I don’t feel strong or that I’ve allowed myself to fall into one of the worst relationship situations a gal can end up in. I’m not strong. I look away, boredom instantly making me twitchy.
I stand up, moving to check the dryer, needing to do something with my hands. The warm air greets me as I open the door, but the clothes are still damp. Of course they are. Just my luck. I glance back at Malachi, who’s watching me with a look I can’t quite decipher.
“You really don’t have to stay,” I say, my voice softer now. “I’ll be fine.”
“I’m sure you will,” he replies, his tone gentle but firm, “but I’m not going anywhere. I’m starting to enjoy the company.”
There’s a finality in his words that makes my heart skip a beat. “Why are you so insistent?” I ask, genuinely curious. “You don’t even know me. And maybe you are a creepy stalker.”
“Maybe not,” he says, pushing off the wall and taking a step closer. “But I know what it’s like to need help and not ask for it. I know what it’s like to be alone when you shouldn’t be.” His gaze locks with mine. “What does your gut say about me, Aria?”
That I should get some condoms, because my ovaries just exploded.
His words hit a nerve, and I swallow hard, turning back to the dryer. “I’m used to it,” I admit quietly. “Being alone.”
“Well, not today,” he says, his voice closer now. “Today, you have me as a bodyguard.”
I close the dryer door and turn to face him. I’ve done my best to stay at least three feet from him this entire encounter, but with him invading my space, I can scent his spicy alpha musk with a dash of sunlight, even with the plugs in.
I’m going to need more candy.
I’m a slut for sunlight, and from the smell of it, he’s using the same dampening soap, which is good, otherwise I’d demand to bathe in his sunlight.
“Why do you care?” The question slips out before I can stop it.
Malachi’s eyes soften, and he takes another step closer. “Because I’ve seen too many people get hurt when they shouldn’t have to, and because you deserve to feel safe.”
The sincerity in his voice almost breaks me. I feel tears prick at the corners of my eyes, and I blink them away, not wanting to show weakness. A part of me wants to believe him, to trust in the safety he’s offering. But another part, the part that still bears the scars of Noah’s betrayal, screams at me to run.
