Spellbound

Original Edition: Thirty-Two

After my parents delivered the death sentence for my ownership of the Reynard and declared everyone would be leaving tomorrow afternoon except my dad, I ran out without so much as a glance over my shoulder.

I would not let them see me cry.

Especially Raven, who was getting everything she wanted.

This was the biggest disaster, the absolute worst-case scenario. Everything they'd predicted had come true. I'd failed, no matter how you cut it, no matter what excuses I tried to give.

I failed at running the Reynard just as I had failed at everything else in my pathetic life. I couldn't even capture Archer's heart so that he wouldn't just fuck me and leave me, Soren didn't want me...I was a complete and utter failure.

Unlocking my suite, I stormed inside, leaving the door wide open. I stalked into the kitchen and pulled a soda from the refrigerator, needing some caffeine to calm my nerves. Tears were sliding down my cheeks as I grabbed a glass from the cabinet, unscrewing the lid on the 2-liter.

Out of nowhere, the soda exploded, fizz and liquid spraying all over my clothes, the bottle slipping from my hands and knocking over the cup on the counter. It shattered into a million pieces, and as I attempted to sit the bottle upright, I cut my hand on a shard of glass, and it wedged itself into my palm.

"Fuck!" I screamed, dropping to my knees, sobs racking my body as I tried to pull the sharp piece from my skin.

"Stop, Gemma. Stop." Long fingers curled around my wrists holding my hands apart. Through tear-blurred eyes, I found Soren squatting in front of me. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up."

He walked me to the bathroom and guided me to sit on the toilet lid, ever so gently working the glass out of my palm. After he tossed the shard into the trash can, he laid my hand palm up on my thigh, and I numbly watched him as he turned to fill the tub with hot water and bubbles.

When the foam inched above the sides, he turned off the water and lowered his hands into the suds. "It's nice and hot," he said, shaking the bubbles off. "If you need anything, just holler; I'll be in the kitchen. All right?"

I nodded, still trying to catch my breath.

He dipped his head in my direction and slipped out the door.

With trembling fingers, I removed my clothes, trying to avoid the cut on my palm, and slid into the warm water. My muscles immediately relaxed, and I sank down until just my head hovered over the iridescent cloud that smelled of lavender. I was getting a grip on my emotions when I heard the broom followed by the clink of glass sweeping over the kitchen floor.

Everything I touched fell apart and I was dependent on everyone else to clean the messes I left behind. I fought back the tears and my chest burned with the buildup of my grief. Hiccupping once, twice, the flood gates opened again, and I was sobbing.

A soft tap came at the bathroom door. "Gemma, are you okay?" Soren asked.

I thought about lying, trying everything in my power to sound normal, like I wasn't having the biggest breakdown of my life, but there was no use.

"No," I squeaked, closing my eyes and letting the humiliation I felt join the rest of the emotions swirling within me.

"Hold on." He rushed away from the door and the cupboards in the kitchen opened and closed. About two minutes later he returned and asked, "Is it all right if I come in?"

"Yes."

The door squeaked open, and Soren peeked around the frame before entering with two glasses of wine. He handed one to me and sat on the floor next to the tub so we faced each other. His hair was tousled, and his deep blue eyes washed in concern. "What happened tonight, Gem?"