Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 38444 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 154(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38444 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 154(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
Alaric had a feeling there might have been more glasses of booze before he came in. More than Ezra had admitted to.
“This one time? I got a C on a test, and my father decided I needed a lesson. There was a freak snowstorm, and he drove me seven miles from the house and made me walk home. Did you know that frostbite can give you blisters? Because I didn’t. It can also leave lasting damage. When you healed me at Bran’s apartment building, you fixed a pain I’d had for most of my life, too. Did you know that?”
Alaric just nodded. He’d sent enough healing magic in to take care of everything for Ezra, and he’d sensed that old aching spot in his foot and ankle.
“Well, thanks. That seven-mile walk was absolute hell on earth. Got only got As after that. Not that it made a difference. My father still hated me. Thought I was weak.” He took a long swig of the whiskey, his hand unsteady as he set the glass back down on the island. “You want to know something crazy? I was still sad when he was killed. It still hurt. Don’t know why.”
“We love our parents, Ezra.”
“Well, I shouldn’t have given him even one tiny part of my heart, useless block of nothing that it is. Fucker didn’t deserve it. And then I get nearly beaten to death, and neither my mother nor brother came to see if I was okay. Some family I have, eh? My mother’s out of the country, but she could have come back.”
He went to pour more alcohol, but Alaric stepped in and took the bottle away. “You’re already going to feel like shit tomorrow, Ezra.”
“Probably right,” he garbled. “I should go back to bed.” He started walking that way, and Alaric followed. And immediately felt bad for noticing how tight and round Ezra’s ass looked in the pajama pants.
At the door, Ezra leaned against the jamb facing away from Alaric. He was silent for a time before he whispered, “You’re wrong, you know. I do have ambition and focus. Somewhere in here” —he thumped a hand on his chest—“there’s something meaningful.” He looked back at Alaric. “There has to be, right?”
With that, he stumbled inside and shut the door. Alaric stood in the hall for a long time. Shame burned hot in his chest.
Ezra had heard him talking to Finn that morning. He’d hurt the man’s feelings—and from what he’d said about his childhood, nobody had ever made him feel good about himself. A twisted tangle of anger and regret made Alaric nauseous. Anger over that snowstorm story and regret that he’d reduced Ezra to nothing more than a spoiled child, and that Ezra had heard it all.
He’d have to apologize. And maybe, just maybe, he’d been wrong about the man. Because the ache he felt in his chest told him that he hated making Ezra feel bad. And that maybe…he wanted to do the opposite.
Thoroughly confused, he walked to the room he was using, then changed his mind and went into the living room. Even though he wouldn’t need it, he tugged on a jacket and let himself outside to patrol with Bain and Finn.
Chapter Ten
Ezra
One of the bodyguards knocked on his bedroom door. Ezra groaned and slowly rolled to his back before gingerly sitting up. “Come in,” he barked as he rubbed his temples. The whiskey had seemed like a great idea in the dead of night. Now? Not so much. Luckily, his curtains were closed, so the room was nice and dim.
Alaric pushed open the door, looking way too alert and hot in a pair of form-fitting jeans and a black linen button down. He had on those sexy boots again. Ezra was forming a real fetish for those.
“It’s one in the afternoon,” Alaric said, keeping his voice low. “I got tired of waiting for you to come out, so I’m here to apologize.”
Pain throbbed in his skull. “For what?”
“For what I said to Finn yesterday morning. For what you heard.” Alaric walked farther into the room.
It took Ezra a moment to remember because the hangover muddied his brain. “No need. It’s not the first time I’ve heard that.”
Alaric sighed heavily. “You shouldn’t have heard it from me. I shouldn’t have made you feel bad about yourself when your entire family does that, and I feel terrible about it. Please, accept my apology.”
Ezra frowned, then more memories of his drunken, loose tongue hit him, and he groaned again. “You gotta ignore me when I drink. I say stupid shit.” He slowly swung his legs to the side of the bed. “Give me a moment, okay? I’ll come out in a sec.”
Alaric tilted his head, then nodded and left the room. Ezra stumbled into the bathroom, and though his bladder was screaming, he scrubbed the horrible funk off his teeth first, then washed his face. He took care of his bladder, then looked in the mirror as he washed his hands. Outside of being pale, he looked fine, so he went into the living room to find Alaric leaning against the back of the couch.