Page 131 of Infernal Secrets

“Zeke?” Her hand lowered. “Are you okay?”

“What?”

Worry lined her forehead. “I… I don’t know how to explain it.” She angled her head, searching my eyes. “What are you thinking right now?”

“You don’t want to know,” I mumbled.

“I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t wanna know.”

I shook my head, dropping my gaze to study the floral pattern on her bedding.

“Did I upset you when I touched you like that?”

“What?” I looked up. “No. I don’t mind you touching me. I told you that.”

“Is it because I called Cyn an asshole again?”

“No.”

She huffed a breath. “I don’t know what else I said—Wait a minute. Was it ‘good boy’? Did that bother you? I promise I didn’t mean anything insulting or belittling with that. You’re obviously not a boy.”

“It didn’t bother me,” I muttered, glancing to the side.

“Looks like it to me. I mean… it didn’t, but now it does.”

I twisted the loose edge of her pillowcase around my finger.

“Hey, come on… tell me what’s going on. I don’t like seeing you upset.”

“You don’t?” I couldn’t keep the surprise out of my voice.

Of course she didn’t want to upset me. She was extremely kind, so I doubted she made a habit of upsetting others. And while I didn’t think she was afraid of me, I wasn’t human. Anyone with at least an ounce of self-preservation would tread carefully around a species stronger and deadlier than theirs.

Not that I’d ever hurt her.

“Of course not. You’ve been good to me.” She sat up. “We might not be the same species, but I kinda like you, so you can’t be sad.” She nodded as if her verdict was final, and it made me laugh. The silliness lifted the weight from my chest.

“I think maybe my reaction is what bothered me?”

“Okay, now we’re getting somewhere. But that sounded like a question. You’re not sure?”

“Not really.”

“How do you not know?”

“I mean, I shouldn’t react like that.”

“Ahh. So you didn’t like it?”

“No,” I mumbled, untwining the fabric around my finger before doing it again. “I mean, yes, I liked it, but I shouldn’t have.”

“Wait. Are we talking about good boy now or the reaction?”

I froze.

“Zeke?” She angled my face up when I wouldn’t look at her. I felt my skin heat under her scrutiny. “I think I know what’s going on.”

I swallowed.