Jagged Embrace

Chapter 90 - Ander

Ander returned and would not look at Will or Maeve, unable to bear to witness their afterglow. The idea made him nauseous. He took a cold shower and changed into his scrubs. His shoulder still made it difficult to handle his top, but he grit his teeth and managed. When he opened the door, Maeve was lying next to Will in his bed. He ignored them and went to his own, pulling out the list he had notated the spell in. He opened his laptop, as was his usual pattern, but focused on reading over the incantation. The bed moved, and he turned to find Maeve sitting next to him.

"Hey," she said in a hushed tone.

Ambient noises increased in volume and included Will's snores.

"You didn't tell me today was the day," she said simply.

His eyes widened. Will had told her about his mother's death? "It was not my information to share."

"You've told me other things."

"Yes." Will was sensitive about anything regarding his mother. Ander understood and rarely spoke of her to him or anyone else.

She pulled her teeth over her bottom lip. "You're angry at me, aren't you?"

Ander averted his eyes. The simple motion made his libido stir. "No."

"I can tell you're mad," she told him. "It's because I had sex with him after being angry last night. I look like a liar or an idiot."

Ander started at the wall and did not respond.

"It's hard to explain, but-"

"You do not owe me an explanation of your choices." He wanted to demand an explanation for her choices.

"Maybe not, but I feel like I do."

"Your relationship with Will has nothing to do with me." At the mention of his name, Will grumbled and turned on his back. "I assume he will not wake soon."

"If you are asking how much he drank, I'm not really sure. You were here this morning and during the ritual. After that we.... spent time together, and he told me if I didn't stay with him tonight, he was going to drink until he couldn't remember his name. I remember three of something and then he finished that."

In his peripheral, she pointed to an empty bourbon bottle. He turned to face her. "You refused to stay with him?"

She nodded. "I was with him last night, and I stayed with him until he fell asleep."

Ander sighed and raked his hair back.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"I do not understand." Ander could not discern why she continued to apologize for her interactions with Will.

"Yes, you do." She blinked back the moisture in her eyes.

"You regret your actions." With me. His chest and shoulders tightened at her words and reminded him of his actions and choices, the abomination he was.

She reached for her flower necklace. "No. Yes. I don't know."

"I will keep my word. It will not happen again." He stared at the comforter.

She shook her head. "Ander, no. That isn't what I am talking about."

He raised his chin to study her.

"I don't regret... I mean I shouldn't have - We can't..." Her words tumbled out of her.

He tried to decipher the words, but without complete thoughts, it was like he was learning a new language. "If you will permit, I would like to test a spell." He peered at Will's sleeping figure.