Page 197 of Crucible
“I thought you said he cut you.”
Thorin closes his eyes. “Aurelia, I swear to God.”
My gaze moves to Khalil, and I lift a brow. “And you?”
Khalil tosses an indignant hand toward Seth. “He fucking flipped out when I tried to stop him from killing Thor.”
Finally, I allow my gaze to return to Seth. His blank gaze is fixed on the floor, and I’m not even sure he knows I’m here.
I take one step toward him when Khalil finally gets off his ass faster than any human should be able to move. “Don’t even think about it,” he warns, coming to stand between Seth and me. “Not when he’s like this.”
“Seth won’t hurt me.”
“I’m not taking that chance.”
“It’s not your decision.” It’s a testament to how bad Khalil’s hurting that I’m able to duck around him and kneel in front of Seth. “Hey…” I lay my hand on his arm when he doesn’t react. “Seth, can you hear me?” He peeks up at me and then looks awaylike he’s ashamed before nodding. “What happened? Why did you attack Khalil and Thorin?”
“I didn’t mean to.”
My heart cracks in two. “I know you didn’t. Thorin and Khalil know it too.”
Behind me, Thorin snorts. I glare at him over my shoulder in time to see him rolling his eyes. Or maybe he’s about to pass out.
Jesus, how much blood did he lose? It’s everywhere.
I turn my focus back to Seth. Thorin may be injured, but Seth’s the one who needs me most—needsusmost—and I know Thorin and Khalil agree because they don’t complain or leave to take care of their wounds. Thorin will risk bleeding out, and Khalil, who’s clutching his head, will risk a concussion to make sure Seth is okay.
I haven’t told them this and maybe never will, but their determination to care for each other—no matter the cost to themselves—is one of the things I love about them most. It’s one of the reasons I agreed to stay.
“Goldilocks.” I look at Khalil, and he nods to Seth’s hand—the one holding the scissors—and I pick up on the unspoken order.
“Seth, can I have the scissors?” I hold out my hand for him to place them in, but he clutches the scissors tighter.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” he explains.
“You won’t. Give me the scissors.”
“If you have them, I will. I won’t be able to help it, Sunshine.”
I drop my hand with a sigh. “Why do you think that, Seth?”
“It’s the memories of what Isaac did to him on that table,” Thorin answers when Seth remains stubbornly silent. “He doesn’t like anyone coming at him with sharp objects.”
Hence, why Seth doesn’t like haircuts…
God, I’m going to need a list so something like this doesn’t ever happen again. I’m already cursing my big mouth. It fuckingburns me that Seth thinks he has to go to such measures to please me.
“Seth, listen to me.” He lifts his head, his green eyes filled with worry and shame. “Grow your hair down to your fucking knees. Dye it pink. Cut it all off. I don’t give a shit. But never ever put yourself through this again. I do not care what you look like, you fool. I loveyou.” Seth’s eyes widen, but I hold his gaze steady as I hold out my hand. Yes, I know what I just said, and I fucking meant it. “Now give me the damn scissors.”
He holds out the shears, and I make sure to wrap my hand around the blades, risking cutting my hand open so that he doesn’t see them when I take the scissors from him.
I feel Khalil hovering behind me, so I hand him the scissors without taking my eyes off Seth. The moment Khalil moves away to hide those fucking things, Seth reaches out and pulls me into his lap.
“You love me,” he says while nuzzling my face with his.
“Yes, Seth.” I tilt my head back and smile when he kisses my neck. “I love you.”
“Oh, sure,” Khalil drawls when he returns. “You get cut, and I get thrown into a wall, but Seth is the one who gets coddled.”
