Page 129 of Security and Submission
Clearing his throat, Payam took a couple of steps in.
“My mother told me you were here. And you’d been shot?” The bewilderment in his voice matched what Yasmine felt whenever she thought about it.
“Wild, huh?” She managed to laugh. “Not how I thought my week was going to go.”
Walking to the side of the room where there was a small table covered in flowers, Payam added his to the pile. He looked wildly uncomfortable, and Yasmine’s heart went out to him. Regardless of his mother’s expectations, and possibly Yasmine’s own mother’s expectations, despite what she’d said about Zeus, it was nice of him to come by and see her.
It was the polite thing to do, which was probably why he’d done it. She got the feeling that Payam always did the right, proper thing. A lot like Mason. A lot like a lot of the men she’d dated.
Zeus was different. Not that he didn’t do the right thing, but he didn’t do it because it was the proper thing to do. He did it because he felt it was the right thing to do. If the proper, mannerly thing to do didn’t feel like the right thing, she had no doubt that he’d do what he felt was right without a moment’s thought. Payam would have to think about it and would hesitate over whether being ill-mannered was actually the right thing to do.
It wasn’t necessarily a bad trait, but she’d found she preferred Zeus’ more direct way of looking at things. Especially when it came to her.
“I’m not sure what I’m doing here,” Payam admitted, casting his gaze over the pile of flowers before turning to face Yasmine. “I hate hospitals. But it didn’t feel right just sitting at home once I’d heard where you were and how you got here. I thought I should at least stop by.”
“I appreciate that. It’s very kind of you.”
Coming over to the bed, Payam’s expression was blanker than normal. As though he was suppressing some kind of emotion.
“I hate hospitals.” His tone was flat. Given what he’d been through, she could only imagine that being here was bringing back a lot of bad memories for him.
“Then it was even kinder of you to come. You don’t have to stay on my account, though.” She smiled gently, hesitating, and then decided to just rip the bandaid off. He deserved to know. “My parents are on their way back and my boyfriend should be on his way soon. I’m being released this afternoon.”
“Boyfriend, huh?” The smile that curved Payam’s lips was sincere. His shoulders even relaxed a little. Another indication that they weren’t meant to be together, even if he was more her usual type. He was clearly committed to doing the right thing, but he wasn’t heartbroken or even hurt to hear that she had someone.
“Yeah. Sorry.” She couldn’t quite fight the urge to apologize, even though she knew it wasn’t necessary.
“You’re not worried about the curse?” There was nothing antagonistic in his question, just pure curiosity.
“Maybe a little, but I’m trying to do things differently. And he’s… different.” Zeus was different. She felt differently about him than any of her previous relationships, even though she hadn’t known him long.
She’d felt that way even before being shot, although she felt like ending up in the hospital had changed her mindset from where it had been before. Wasn’t there some quote about how being sentenced to a hanging focused a person’s mind? She’d have to look it up.
The one thing she did know was that she didn’t want to force feelings where there weren’t any, and she sure as hell wasn’t going to deny ones that were there. Life was too short and too precious. Something she now realized Payam already knew.
“Well, that’s good.” Despite the sadness in his eyes, which never seemed to go away, Payam did seem genuinely pleased for her. “I wish you nothing but the best.”
“Thank you. I wish the same for you.”
He chuckled, though there was no humor to the sound.
“Unfortunately, I believe I’ve already had that. I don’t know that fate would be kind enough to send such a blessing twice.” There was still grief tinging his voice, but mostly resigned acceptance. He truly had no expectations or hope of finding more in the future.
God, he made her heart hurt. But he also made her determined to grab onto what she had now rather than trying to deny the fact that she had fallen in love with Zeus. Where that might lead, she didn’t know. It was enough for right now, though.
“Take care, Yasmine.” Payam held out his hand, and Yasmine took it. A brief warm squeeze of fingers that left her feeling nothing but sympathy and friendship. She was so glad she’d met Zeus; otherwise, Payam would have been very tempting as a prospect for a comfortable future… but it would have been a future without passion.
“You too, Payam.”
She settled back against the bed, watching him leave. In some ways, he would have been the safe option, while Zeus was anything but… yet she didn’t regret her decision at all. She wanted Zeus. Ups and downs, cursed or not cursed, marriage-minded or not marriage-minded.
They would talk about it. Eventually.
Zeus
It was like his parents always knew the worst time to call. His phone rang right as he was pulling into the hospital parking lot, and he felt his entire body tense up when he saw the Caller ID.
Just leave me alone.
