Chapter 32 Chapter 32
Violet
Ava hastily reached for the bathroom door and walked outside while I froze for a second, and slipped back into the water. She had left a crack open and I saw Elijah standing outside the door of Cassie’s room.
“Did Violet leave? She wanted to talk…” He began but then his gaze fell on me sitting in the bathtub.
I immediately scrambled to pull all the froth and bubbles towards me to hide my naked body under the water.
“I just gave her a bath. She is getting ready.” Ava said, bowing to him and pointing at the bathroom door.
His gaze stayed on me as he replied to her. “Thanks, you can pack tiffins for Cassie and the boys.”
She nodded and hurried to the kitchen as I held my breath, wondering what direction he would choose to walk in.
And I gulped when he reached for the doorknob to pull it shut.
“No wait” I shouted and he stopped midway, the crack now reducing to a slit.
Elijah’s brows furrowed but he didn’t step in.
“Get dressed and come in my office”
But I had already gotten up and grabbed a towel, tied it hastily around my body and the other I began to wrap around my hair.
However, in my hurry, my foot slipped on the soapy bathroom tiles and I would have smacked hard against the bathtub but then I found myself hovering in the air.
With a start I realized Elijah had rushed forward and wrapped his hands around me to break the fall.
I stared at him for a split second, our eyes locking as I observed his face. The little scars from the rogue battle had already healed.
Though, a slight wince appeared on his face when I gripped his forearm too tightly. I realized I was hurting him so tried to straighten up but again my stupid feet slipped and that only made me tug at his shirt harder.
“Okay stop” He grunted and I did. But my hair were covering most of my vision. I raised a hand to push them aside but instead I felt his fingers do the same.
In a delicate way that I wouldn’t have associated with him.
My heartbeat grew frantic as I realized that was not the only part his body was touching mine. I was in a freaking towel and I could feel most of his body pressed to mine.
Goosebumps prickled up my skin but the next second, he slowly straightened and stepped away from me.
“Sorry” I said sheepishly, as he looked down at his clothes that were now wet and covered in lather. But that only made his pristine white shirt become transparent and cling to his body.
I felt my eyes widen at the sheer wall of muscle he was packing beneath those clothes. I had barely looked at it for a second
Something fell out of his pocket which he bent to pick up. And then slowly his gaze traveled up my bare legs, stopping just above my thighs where the towel began.
Heat crawled up my cheeks as I tried to tug the towel down. Meanwhile, Elijah had already turned around to give me some privacy.
“We will talk in the office upstairs”
But that is when I saw a thin streak of red blossom under his shirt. It spread like spider web through the fabric and I heard myself shout again.
“Wait”
He had stepped out of the bathroom and had reached the edge of the bed but he stopped when I asked him to.
I hurried over and grabbed his arm without thinking.
“There’s blood” I pointed at his abdomen, at the fresh blood blossoming under the scars on the side that had been hidden due to the folds of the fabric.
Elijah shrugged it away.
“Its nothing”
But I shook my still damp head, making water droplets fly all around.
“It is! You didn’t get cleaned properly and your wolf is taking time to heal your injuries. You might get an infection if you strut around like some invincible immortal.”
Elijah narrowed his eyes.
“I dont strut around. And its thanks to you that I got all wet. I’ll go get changed.”
But I was faster and closed the door, plastering my back to it.
“Not until you get bandaged.”
He gave me a long pointed look and then let his gaze wander all over me. Like he was letting me watch him.
It was the gaze of a predator assessing its prey, but for some reason it made my skin prickle.
“And you are going to do that? Wrapped in a fucking towel?”
I feigned bravado I didn’t quite feel.
“I mean if you let me get dressed, I can do it wearing clothes as well. Though, I didn’t know a little skin got you so worked up.”
I hadn’t meant to say the last line out loud. It had sounded cocky and challenging in my head.
But it was now out of my mouth. And the piercing look that he leveled on me made me tremble slightly.
And then he started moving towards me. OR the door. I wasn’t sure.
Elijah came to stand face to face in front of me as he brushed away the blood with his thumb.
“You are playing a dangerous game, Violet.”
I was? Maybe.
“I…I only want to thank you for remembering to send a ride for me. I dont want any more favors from you. So…”
His voice dipped. “So you thought caring for me while wearing nothing was a good way to do it?”
I shook my head. “No. I just felt bad for calling you a hypocrite earlier and wanted to apologize.”
He leaned even closer and then I felt his breath tickle my skin.
“Do it”
I blinked but he kept looking at me expectantly so I forced the words out.
“I…am sorry for my harsh words earlier. And I also want to thank you for entrusting me with Cassie’s wellbeing on the hospital form.”
His hand came to rest on the door, very, very close to my face.
“Anything else?”
He smelled divine and that light stubble on his chin was too enticing. I licked my dry lips. I should say something good, something reasonable.
“But I stand by my earlier words that you shouldn’t go to hunt the rogues all alone when you are injured and Cassie needs you.”
Wrong move.
Because then his nostrils flared and so did his eyes.
“Keep talking and I will remind you how to keep your mouth shut when all you wanna do is scream and come all over my hand.”