Page 107 of Inked in Bloom
“How’s that for exposure therapy?” he teases, our bodies heaving as we catch our breath.
“I think it was a decent first go.” A smirk plays at the corner of my mouth. “But repetition is an important aspect.”
“Well, I’m up for a repeat anytime,” he says, tucking the wild strands of sweat-slicked hair behind my ear, kissing my temple. “You’re incredible.”
The door jingles and a breeze whips through the room. I shiver against Briar, still shaky from the rush of endorphins.
A red rose floats across the room and drops into my lap. Briar frowns at it.
“What is it?” I ask, assessing the concern on his face.
The petals unfurl one at a time, and he plucks it from my skirt to read the message, his body going rigid. I stand, sensing the wrongness radiating off him.
“It’s Dani.” He closes the flower and gets up, not giving a second look at the massive splotch on the crotch of his pants. “I need to get home.”
44
BRIAR
Dani wouldn’t reach out if it weren’t urgent. They pride themselves on being the Didi that can handle anything. So when a rose with blackened tips floats into view, my stomach plummets with the immediate need to get home.
“I’m so sorry.” I hold the door open for Monroe. “Is it okay if we stop by my place before I take you home?”
“Of course.” There’s no hesitation in her voice. “I hope everything is okay.”
“Me too.”
I don’t know how mortal parents do it. Even with the alleviated worry of something fatal with an immortal child, it still leaves a slew of fears weighing on my mind. And it doesn’t stop the guilt over not being there. Since getting stuck in the mortal realm, time away from them has only become harder. I was grateful Monroe was willing to return to Florezca when she did. If she refused… While I want to say nothing would stop me from being with her, I won’t leave my daughters without a father.
Most Blooms are mated before they choose to become parents, but by the time I’d become a Radix, I’d wanted a family of my own for so long that it seemed needless waiting.Not when there were sprouts who needed someone to love and nurture them through immortality.
Our footsteps are hurried toward The Warren’s entrance. My floracycle waits on the curb, engine purring. Just as I’m about getting on the bike, a soft hand encircles my wrist. “Briar.”
“Yes?”
Monroe’s eyes drop to my crotch. “How about a fresh outfit?”
I follow her gaze to the large damp spot on my pants. Everything up til now has been incredible and the proof is apparent in both our current states. Monroe’s skirt is still unbuttoned and askew, pink floral lace peeking through the open slit.
“Good thinking,” I agree, swapping my trousers for a pair of dark wash jeans. “Thanks.”
“No problem.” Her lashes drop, fanning over the blush staining her cheeks. The moment she twitches her nose, her skirt replaced by black pleather cropped leggings, I miss the evidence of our open mic night adventure.
She climbs behind me on the bike and wraps her arms around my torso. While she did this on the way to dinner, she was gripping me for dear life—her entire body tense against mine. Her hold is still firm this ride, but somehow more deliberate, body soft and melded to my back. Nerves prickle along the bond, tangling with my own, though she doesn’t let it show. Not even as we park and hurry through the front door.
The first thing I notice when I get inside is the towel smeared in crimson and the sniffles of Lilliana and Millie. Taylor is seated next to Juniper, holding her hand while Cherri holds a blood-soaked towel against her forehead.
Where the fuck is Dani?
I rush forward and drop to my knees. Juni’s face is tear- and blood-streaked, her eyes shut as Cherri whispers how brave and good she is. Dani’s boots creak against the floorboards, and my attention snaps to the crimson tinging their pale hands.
My little girl’s blood.
“What happened?” I ask, swapping duties with Cherri so she can fetch a fresh towel.
“She had another one of her episodes. Fell out of bed and smacked her head on the corner of the nightstand.”
Juniper’s nightmares have always existed, but they worsened after I returned from the mortal realm. Over the last year, they’ve slowly become less frequent. She usually delays bedtime, so I figured she’d still be awake by the time I got back.
