Page 47 of Remnants
I hesitate, debating if this is a fight worth starting, then relent and drop my hand. He continues to wipe me down, his efforts slow and gentle. When he’s done, he drops his shirt and helps me dress before pulling his own clothes on. He shoves the used shirt into his hoodie pocket, then looks at me.
There’s no smirk or smile on his face. No hidden secret. Just pure, all-consuming focus that’s concentrated completely on me. Jackson tugs me close, taking my hands and holding them to his chest. “I love you. If you want my heart, I’ll carve it from my chest. Becauseit wouldn’t beat without you.”
My heart stutters out of rhythm, then burns and aches with emotion I have no idea what to do with. I try to put it into words, hoping it’s enough and that he understands. “I love you too.” More than anything else in the world, I love him and the others. I’d do anything for them, to keep them safe. To keep us together.
Jackson smiles, the dimple piercing his left cheek and giving me butterflies all over again.
I smile back, reveling in this moment.
Someone knocks at the door, and I curse, remembering we’re still at Hype and the others are waiting for us.
“Either wrap it up and come out, or else invite me in,” Kellan shouts from behind the door. “Aiden’s running out of things to talk about to keep Ethan distracted from you two.”
“We’re coming!” I yell, taking Jack’s hand and walking to the door.
“Again?” Kellan teases.
I shove the door open, hoping to smack him in the face with it, but the brute side-steps before my wish comes true. “Ha-ha,” I reply, sarcasm dripping from my tone even though I’m fighting a smile.
We walk back to the bar and nightclub area, and Ethan looks past us as if he can see the office from there. “You know I’m going to have to de-con that entire office now, right?”
Oh, fuck. He’s right. When I brought Jack to Elias’s office, I didn’t think that was going to happen. But what would happen if the clean-freak Elias came back and saw evidence of me and Jack?
Dane clenches his hands and moves toward Ethan, ready todefend me even though I’m clearly the one in the wrong. It’s exactly how he was on the island. Vera and I could do no wrong in his eyes, and he would defend us to his last breath, either by being a complete dick to the other person or by getting in a fistfight.
I jump in front of him before either of those scenarios happens, placing my hands on his chest. “No, he’s right. I don’t know how well you know Elias, but…yeah. It needs to be cleaned.” I turn to face Ethan, keeping my back close to Dane and my hand on his behind me so I know he won’t jump down Ethan’s throat. “I’m sorry. It was…necessary.”
Ethan’s stare slides to Jackson. “…Right.”
“I’d offer to do the cleaning myself, but I don’t think I’d do it well enough.”
“We’ll pay for it, whatever it costs,” Aiden says, his eyes on me. “Just send the bill to the Tower.”
Thank fuck for Aiden. His offer eases the knot of guilt in my chest that I’m not used to feeling. If it were nearly anyone else, I wouldn’t have cared so much. But Elias?
Ethan nods to Aiden, then focuses back on me. “Thanks. I’ll uh…pass along the message to the others and let you know if there’s any interest.”
Kellan crosses his arms and cocks his head, checking Ethan out from head to toe. “You a fighter, Ethan?”
“I can fight,” he answers, almost defensively.
“What’s your gift?” Kell asks casually.
Ethan hesitates, and I remember Portia telling me about it.
“Portia said you’re a glow bug?” I guess, not quite sure if herdescription was accurate.
He sighs and chuckles, shaking his head. “Of course, she did. It’s more than that.”
“What do you do?” Kellan presses.
“I can emit light from my body.”
I bite my lips, drawing them in to keep from smiling or saying anything, but Dane, of course, speaks up. “So, you…glow.”
Ethan sighs again. “It’s hard to explain. But I’ve had someone tell me it’s a brilliant gift.”
Dane snorts. Kellan laughs and says, “Marry them.”
