Fingertips skated across the courtyard windows and left a trail of rainbows in the bent light left behind. If the uneasy ache in her palms wasn’t a warning, then the charcoal glow radiating from Ben left no doubt that something was wrong.
Imara pressed her hands against her ears, but it only made the tapping in her mind louder. “Just shut up.” Her lips pinched together as she closed her eyes and put up a hand to the woman trying to set herself free. “Just, just leave me alone.”
The rough pads of his fingers rubbed his neck as Ben leaned against the courtyard fountain, watching the sunset behind the house. He spent the better part of the day avoiding his wife, trying to figure out how best to protect her. No matter how he played it out in his mind, it only ended in pain for the both of them.
Before the door shut behind her, he caught his mate’s scent and wiped the tears from his cheek. “Hey there, handsome.” Her fingers tugged at his hair, and he snatched her hand away, then pulled her around to face him. “Is something wrong? Did I do something to make you angry? You’ve barely even spoken to me all day.”
He made a throat-clearing groan and fought the urge to cup her cheek in his hand as he tugged her closer. “I could never be angry at you, but”- he gritted his teeth and hissed at himself as he glanced away to the sky before facing her again- “we need to talk about a few things.”
She caught his leg bouncing from the corner of her eye, and a falling sensation started in her shoulders. “Well. I’m right here. What is it?”
“I can’t protect you like this, Imara.” He shook off her hand and crossed his arms over his chest. “We can’t be together anymore. Not like you want to be.”
An ache started in her neck over the mark he made that went straight through her, and she slapped her hand to it as she inched away. “And you’re telling me this now?” After licking her lips, she gave him a smile, but her teary eyes struggled to look at him. “You didn’t seem so concerned about your ability to do your job well when you were inside me last night.”
The wolf’s growl rumbled at him through his chest, and he slipped his fingers through his hair as Imara shook her head before she tried to walk away. “Oh, I see. Things look different in the light of day, don’t they?”
Fingers wrapped around her wrist as Ben pulled her back. “I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry?” After prying his fingers away, she stood chest to chest with him. “And telling me you loved me, that was a mistake as well?”
His eyes fell between them, and no matter what words came out of his mouth, he shook his head no to it. “Yes, it was.”
Big, fat tears fell from her dark lashes as her hand moved over the burn in her throat. “Ehm! Well, aren’t I just the biggest idiot in Savannah?” Her hand waved as she laughed at herself and walked away. “Fine. Consider yourself a free man, Mr. Logan. I won’t bother you again.”
For a second, he changed his mind and spun around. “Baby, I’m sorry.”
“Go to hell!” Even laced with pain and anger, her voice was the sweetest thing he ever heard as it echoed through the courtyard after she slammed the door, and he collapsed to his knees right there by the pool.
Imara stormed across the foyer cross-armed until she shut the parlor doors behind her. “I don’t want Ben as my bodyguard anymore.”
Thorin glanced up from his drink and sighed as he dropped it to the table. “I can’t fire him, Imara. You two are going to have to learn to get along.”
Her shaking finger pointed at him as she came closer. “No, Thorin. You can keep him around for whatever reason you want, but if you want someone protecting me, find someone else. I don’t want him anywhere near me.”
His fingertips rubbed between his eyes as Thorin pinched them shut. “I’ll see if Haldir wouldn’t mind, I guess.” When he glanced up at her, he could see the devastation on her face, and he motioned for her to come over. His thumb rubbed back and forth over her knuckles. “Whatever he said to you, I promise you he doesn’t mean it. He thinks he’s doing you a favor.”
“I don’t care, Thorin.” She backed away to the door and felt around for the knob. “Just keep him away from me.”
Ben nearly ran her over when she opened the door, and he breathed down over her face. “I’m sorry.” She swallowed down the last bit of pride she had and ignored him as she walked away.
Thorin turned back from the window he was standing in front of and pointed at Ben. “I hope you’re right proud of yourself for what you’re doing to her. She wants a new bodyguard.” Leaning against the windowsill, he chuckled into his glass before he took a sip. “In fact, she asked that I keep you away from her entirely. You know”- Thorin rubbed his chin- “I don’t understand you at all. She’s right here in front of you, Ben, right at your fingertips after all these years, and you’re just going to squander that chance with her.”
Ben sank back into the leather chair and pulled at his lip. “I don’t want anyone else near her. No one.”
“So” -Thorin set his cup down and looked up at Ben’s reflection in the mirror above the server- “what do you suggest, then? Just keeping her locked up tight in her room like a prisoner?” He wiped his hands off on the towel and threw it aside. “No. Un-un. I won’t go that route again.”
While he slumped down into his seat, Ben bent his neck from side to side. “She’s my wife, Thorin. It’s my decision.”
Thorin chuckled to himself and shook his head before he stopped in front of Ben. “You’re being an asshole. As far as she’s concerned, she’s a single woman, and I’m not stopping her from living her life as she sees fit; I won’t do it. You’re on your own this time.” He cracked his neck from side to side and rolled out his shoulders as he left the room and washed his hands of Ben. “Whatever she does, you drove her to it, and you’ll just have to live with the consequences of your actions.”