Page 103 of Twilight of Embers
He wrapped an arm around me and pressed a kiss to my temple. “Well, hopefully, this boosts your mood.”
Knox guided me down a hall. I caught tiny snippets of Cillian’s and Cáel’s voices from up ahead. I’d never been on this floor before. It had the same lush carpeting as the second floor and gorgeous art on the walls.
Knox slowed, gently pushing me through an open door. “We wanted you to have a place that felt like yours.”
I stilled as I stepped into the bedroom. It was massive, and the scent of fresh paint still clung to the walls. Walls that had been made a lavender gray. There were massive windows that looked out onto the forests behind the house, a sitting area with bookshelves, a desk for studying, and a bed that looked like three king-sized ones rolled into a single mattress.
An abstract painting hung above the bed, made of circles and lines. Taking it in, my eyes burned. “Are those atoms?”
Knox shrugged. “You love science.”
I turned to face him, Cáel, and Cillian. It was then I saw that they were all in scrubby clothes, splattered with paint. Lavender paint. “You gave me a room.”
Cáel attempted a grin, even though it came across as more of a grimace.
“You painted my room,” I said, my voice trembling.
“We wanted you to feel at home,” Cillian said, worry creasing his face.
The tears came then, fast and hot.
“She’s crying,” Cáel accused, panic lighting his voice. “Why is she crying?”
“I think because she likes it,” Knox said softly.
“I love it.” I only cried harder.
Cillian strode toward me, lifting me into his arms. I clung to him like a spider monkey as I sobbed.
“Th-thank you.”
“Ssshhhh, Little Flame,” he crooned. “Everything’s okay.”
It was far from it, but I let Cillian lie to me.
Cáel moved in on one side of me. “We can paint it another color if you don’t like this.”
A laugh bubbled up through my tears. “I love this color.”
He frowned down at me. “I don’t like it when you cry.”
“Sorry, big guy. Sometimes my emotions just leak out of my eyeballs.”
Knox chuckled as he kissed my hair. “We want you to feel at home and have some normalcy.”
I released my hold on Cillian, letting my feet drop to the floor. “I hate to break it to you, but a massive room in a mansion isn’t exactly normal.”
Knox grinned. “All right, our kind of normal. And there’s more.”
I let out a shuddered breath. “I’m not sure if I can take any more.”
“Just one more thing,” Knox promised. “There are some clothes in the closet. Pick out a sexy-ass dress and be ready by nine p.m. We’re taking you out.”
I glanced around at the three of them. “All of you?”
Cillian gave me a shark grin. “All of us.”
Holy hell…
