Chapter 67 The Darker Me

• Lucas POV
• In the quiet aftermath of telling her about my past, a weight still lingers in my chest. It’s like speaking the truth out loud made it even more real, dredging up old wounds I’d prefer to keep buried. But her presence, her warmth against me as I carry her toward the bathroom, brings a strange kind of comfort too. It’s twisted, really—how much I want her here and how much that want terrifies me.
• Setting her down gently, I move to the tub, filling it with warm water and adding a faintly scented oil I found in one of Demitri’s cabinets. Well hers now, as this is her room. She watches me, her eyes soft, and the sight of her looking so tired yet trusting does something to me I can’t explain. I step out of my own clothes and reach out, helping her into the bath and settling in behind her, wrapping her up against my chest. She relaxes, leaning into me, and for a moment, the fear eases.