Page 16 of Frost Bitten
“Sunshine, I really appreciate you giving us a chance, if even just to make it up to you that we left you alone. I’m here for you, one hundred percent, and I am thankful I’m getting the opportunity to show you.” Corey turns his golden green gaze to me, and I melt under the warmth his eyes convey. His earnestness is palpable, truth bleeding through the tears he’s holding back.
I raise my hand to caress his jaw, and I gently bring my lips to his. “I believe you,” I whisper. “I just need time. It’s going to take a while for the hurt to go away. I’m willing to hang out with you, to let you prove your dedication, but I’m going to need to go slow.”
Bast walks in and lowers himself beside us on the love seat, all of us snuggled together. “I’m all in too,” he adds. “I wish we could’ve been there for you when you needed us, and I’m totally on board with us proving to you that we are on your side.” I peek up at him, lifting my head from Corey’s shoulder. When Bast slides me a small smile, I feel my lips curl up in a smirk, that is, until he reaches down and removes my shoes. He brings my feet to his lap, and slowly starts to massage the arches, gently enough that it starts to relax me. Corey turns on The Notebook for background noise, and it’s not long before I curl up in his warmth and drift off.
A strange vibration under me wakes me slightly some time later. “Fuck,” I hear Corey grunt. He fumbles to withdraw his phone from his pocket beneath me without waking me but fails miserably. I drift in that hazy, half-asleep state for a little bit, hearing Corey grumble and curse under his breath. We mustn’t have been snuggling long, because I vaguely hear him say, “We just fucking got back, what is so urgent?” He shuffles me in his arms, and as I shift to get comfortable, he groans. “Sunshine, I’m going to need you to stop moving.” I peek my eyes open, and he presses a kiss to my forehead. “I have to run an errand, but Bast is here. You’ll be safe with him; you can still sleep. I’ll bring back dinner, okay?” I nod, still groggy, and I feel him stand. He doesn’t allow my body to shift much, holding me securely. Soon, I’m settled with a soft, cozy blanket wrapped around me and another pair of strong arms surrounding me.
I wake up some time later, lying on the sofa this time. My drowsiness lingers as the warmth from the blanket lulls me back into the comfort of slumber, but the slight melody I hear echoing through the room pulls my consciousness forward, at least enough for my curiosity to pique. I lift my head slightly, attempting to take in the scene before me. As my vision clears from the sleep, I find Bast sitting on the floor, beside the sofa I’m lying on. It’s almost as if he’s guarding me, and the position he’s taken up makes me smile. He’s so sweet in his quiet ways. Sticking up for me when I need it, being the one to come to me first, knowing his brothers were hurting.
And then I notice the music. I can only see Bast’s back, but I do notice his shoulders moving, and the soft guitar music floats through the room. That must be what woke me, when he started to play. But when Bast’s clear, soulful voice reverberates throughout the room, it takes my breath away. The clear tenor rings out, even if muted, and I can hear every word as he strums along.
“I was always told as a child
I’d find someone just for me
Someone who was meant for me
I’d idolized everyone I’ve been with
Only to be disappointed.
I finally realized that I was putting my faith
In the wrong people, I had to
Build it from the ground up, not luck out.
I wouldn’t count out luck, because it brought you to me.”
It’s so similar to another song I’ve heard, but I’d never heard it sung in that style. The original song has a slight country hint to it, but what Bast is singing is totally different and has an R&B ballad flare. So sweet but so gut-wrenching at the same time. I close my eyes again and listen as he continues.
“We have to work at it every day,
You stand by my side, and I stand by yours,
And together we’ll find our way but
I wouldn’t count out luck, because it brought you to me.
Forged from steel,
You and I are the real deal,
We can take our time, and
We can fight the fights, but
We will always survive, and
I wouldn’t count out luck, because it brought you to me.
I don’t believe in fate,
We have to make it each and every day,
I know you’re the one because you put up with me,
And you are never done,
