Claire’s POV

When I got downstairs that morning Rosita was in the kitchen.

“Good morning Chiquita!” (She never called me Claire) She poured me a coffee and then I watched her put 1.5 sugars in it. That was pretty bold, considering I hadn’t seen her in more than a week and had been putting my 3 sugars in consistently. I accepted the cup, tasted it, then leaned over and fetched the sugar. She smirked at me.

“Tell me about your trip!” I said and sat down, trying not to blush too hard about what she’d walked in on last night.

I spent the next hour listening to her tell me about her relatives, about her holiday. She asked me about our trip.

I told her about the Blue Man Group, I told her I won $5,000.00 on the slot machines, and then she asked me why our wedding had been postponed.

“Azriel’s busy. We’re just going to wait until things are less crazy,” I said.

“So you’re happy with him? You see what a good man he can be?” she asked.

“I am. And I do.” I answered. Azriel was strolling into the kitchen at that point. He stopped and gave me a narrow-eyed look. I smiled hesitantly.

“How was the trip, Rosita?” he asked her and flashed me a dirty look. My heart sank.

She seemed oblivious to his mood and his features softened as she began to regale him with of tales of the trip for the next few minutes while he stood leaning against the counter.

Clearly he knew some of the people she mentioned as she didn’t offer explanations of who they were like she’d done with me. Since I’d heard all these stories I excused myself and went back upstairs with my coffee and left them in the kitchen.

Ten minutes later he came into the bedroom and he looked miffed.

“Rule #2?” he said accusingly.

“Huh?”

He closed the distance between us and I backed up and my back hit the closet door. I didn’t like the intimidating vibe coming off him.

“Rule#2; do not discuss me with anyone. You give her even a little she’ll keep at you for more.”

I shook my head, “I didn’t. And are we still seriously about that?”

“That’s not what it looked like when I found you and Rosita in the kitchen and yeah, when did I say the rules no longer applied?”

Seriously?

I shook my head, “All she said was…”

“I heard her. I’m just reminding you.”

“I didn’t forget,” I said softly.

“Good.”

“Where’s your necklace?” I asked softly, seeing it wasn’t around his neck.

He rolled his eyes, “I took it off last time I worked out. This has nothing to do with the f*****g necklace,” he snapped.

“Doesn’t it?” I asked.

He got even closer to me, “I don’t want you discussing me with anyone.”

“I wasn’t.” I defended, feeling intimidated by his body language.

If I hadn’t come in when I had, what would you have said?”

“Nothing more than what I said. She obviously saw us in the kitchen last night practically

doing it

on the counter and was fishing to hear good things. She knows how I felt before and she’s obviously just noticing the change. I wouldn’t have…”

He cut me off, “I’m very private.”

“I know. She’s just happy for you, Azriel.”

“I don’t want you discussing me with anyone.”

“I won’t.” My heart sank, “You didn’t mind what I said to Lily.”

His expression softened and he touched my face with his fingertips.

“I did nothing wrong.”

“Your father will be here in half an hour. Are you coming to talk to him?” he changed the subject but kept caressing my face, his eyes warm and filled with apology.

I nodded, “I don’t know what I’ll say. Maybe I’ll just see what he has to say. Can you put your err…necklace on, please?”

Azriel nodded and then pulled me close, “I love you,” he whispered into my hair.

I squeezed, “I love you, too.”

He m****d deep in his throat and held me for a minute, “I could say that a thousand times a day to you just to hear you say it back.”

My heart swelled, “I’ll say it back every time.”

He gave me another squeeze, “I’ll come get you when I’m done talking to him. Don’t give him any information, okay? About anything.

And Claire, I’ve checked and he’s spending about half his paycheck every week on drugs, his wife doesn’t give a s**t what he does and who he does, makes me wonder why he remarried.

His girlfriend, she’s a kindergarten teacher and she likes to get high, too. Since being with him she’s now got a lien on her car, which he drives, her credit cards are racked up with cash advances, and she’s on probation at work for missing too much time.

I’m not sure how much we can trust what comes out of his mouth and this might be pointless but I at least want to hear from him, okay?

And I want you to hear from him, so you can get your answers.”

I nodded.

Drugs. Great.

He went to the dresser lifted his necklace up put it on. I followed him downstairs and as he headed to his office, I headed to the games room in the basement to play Ms. Pacman to pass the time waiting for Azriel to come get me.

Azriel’s POV

Hearing love in her words and hearing her say those three words after having her “I hate you” etched in my brain…it did something to me.

It gave me strength. I’d need that strength in the coming weeks as I kept digging through the s**t about Uncle; that was for sure.

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