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Couldn't they just give me a damn minute to myself?
"Ariel," Trenton called through the door. "I'm not trying to bother you, sugar, but your dad is back and setting everything up in the kitchen. I thought you would want to know that you've got about ten minutes to yourself in there before he comes looking for you. If you need more time than that, you should let me know now so I can run interference for you so you get the time you need."
I had thought I'd been alone, but I was wrong. Trenton had followed me to the bathroom to make sure I was okay because he was my bodyguard and that's what bodyguards do.
For the first time since he and his brother had moved in here and disturbed my life by their arrival, I didn't feel resentful toward the brothers.
He was doing what he'd been raised to do and it was the only thing he knew.
I could understand that and, just this one time, not be resentful toward him for it.
I moved to the door and unlocked it. I opened the door and peeked out at him. He looked down at me with a face full of worry as he stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets.
"It's going to be okay, you know," he promised seriously, as his eyes roamed over my face. "Whatever it is that you need from me, I will give it to you. He's your father and was once my savior. Not just mine but my brother's savior as well. We owe him, always will, but he would want us to look after you before that debt was paid, always. Not that any of that matters when it comes to you, you come first for us. You'll always be the priority for the two of us, no matter what. It's part magic, part just who and what we are. If you want me to tell him to postpone this for a night, I will. And, because he's your father, he'll agree with it."
I stared at him blankly, my tears a long gone memory.
His words were welcome but also unwelcome at the same time. I didn't want to be the thing that came between him and my father. Not when he felt like he owed Rain everything. Not when he clearly respected and adored my father.
I reached up and trailed my finger down the wicked looking scar that ran down his chin, past his jaw, and down the column of his throat. He shivered at the touch, but I was aware it wasn't sexual for either of us. It was more of an understanding.
"You can touch mine too, if you want," I said, as I pointed at the scar on my face. I dropped my hand to point toward my collarbones. "Or, if you'd like, you can touch some of the other ones I have also."
I didn't exactly want him touching me, but felt it was only fair to offer it up to him since I had so brazenly touched the scar on his face and throat. And I had only offered it up because the touch hadn't been sexual.
Trenton's eyes grew cold as he stared at my scars. His mouth twitched before his face turned to stone.
"I'm not going to touch your fucking scars," he whispered in a voice filled with rage. I flinched as if he struck me, but he continued as if he didn't see my reaction to his words. "I'm going to be the reason you do not collect any more. Not ever again."
He pressed his fingertips to my lips before placing them over his chest where his heart was.
"This I promise you," he whispered hoarsely.
I wasn't given the time to respond because he turned his back on me and stalked away toward the kitchen.
I shut the bathroom door and slumped against it.
His words hadn't been a promise, but a vow. To me.
And I'd believed him.
Eight minutes later, I walked into the kitchen with my face clear of tears and the ugly red splotches that crying like a baby had given me.
Trenton's words had calmed me down immensely. I would never point that out to anyone ever though.
Rain had a bunch of stuff I did not understand set out on the kitchen island and was setting up a little gun with a needle on the end of it.
I watched him plug something into the wall and place a pedal on the floor by the stool he'd vacated when he'd stood up to plug the thing into the wall.
"Are you ready for me?" I questioned hesitantly, as I stepped into the room.
Rain glanced over his shoulder, his eyes were lit with a fire I had never seen before and it reinforced what I had already been feeling.
I loved the drawing and I loved that it came from my family line. It made it even better that Rain wanted me to have it too.
Still, it was a tattoo. A permanent mark on my body that I could never get rid of. And I wanted it. I had to remember that I wanted it and forget everything else. All the bullshit, all my feelings, they didn't really matter in this moment and I needed to remember this.
I nodded my head. "I'm ready," I said, as I stepped into the room.
