Chapter 206 - You are my heart (2/2)

Jos was quiet as Arei led her and Shelly through the long hall leading to his room. She watched as Shelly disappeared inside the door Arei pulled open before she said anything. ”I'm surprised you came up with us. I figured you'd stay behind and hang out more with your brothers.” She looked away as she fumbled with her words. ”It's hard to tell when you'll have a chance to see Ry again.”

Arei let the bedroom door close as he stepped toward Jos. Lifting her chin so that her gaze met his, he whispered. ”If I didn't know better, I'd say you were upset about something. What is it, Kitten?”

She averted her gaze. ”I'm not upset... I just figured...”

Arei interrupted her. ”I thought we agreed to complete honesty? After the hell you put me through over my unsaid truths, are you really going to lie to me now?”

Her guilty, troubled eyes met his. ”You were avoiding even looking at me all night... I figured you'd continue into the night as well.”

A faint smile curved his lips. ”I didn't want to cause you any undue stress with the pup in the room, or risk pissing him off and learning the hard way he could possibly still shift into the werewolf.” He released her chin and dropped his hand to her shoulder, playing with a tendril of hair that rested there. ”How would you prefer I acted toward you around him?”

Jos's brows furrowed as she contemplated his question. ”I... I'm not sure. I'm not even sure where any of us stand at the moment.”

Arei smiled down at her. ”The decision is yours, whatever you choose is fine with me. We can take our time in private and in public or we can take it to whatever limit you are comfortable within either as well.”

Jos averted her gaze again feeling her cheeks heat. ”I... I'll think about it.”

He nodded, ”Alright, just keep in mind we do have to keep up some level of an act for the council.” She moved toward the door. When his hand took the knob blocking the door, her eyes shot up to his in surprise. ”You have nothing to fear from me, Kitten. Whatever you decide, I will honor. I'll not push you for any more or less and I'll not go back on my words here tonight. I realize you've been through some trauma recently,” He stroked her cheek with his free hand. ”but I'll not be the cause of more of it.” When she closed her eyes and rested her head against his palm, he bent and kissed her forehead. Pulling the door open, he added. ”Go lay down, I'll be in in a few minutes.” He waited as she made her way inside before pulling the door shut again.

”What are you still doing out here in the hall?” Ry's voice carried from the far end of the hall. He had the puppy tucked under his arm as he made his way toward his own room.

Arei arched a brow. ”Are you leaving him like that all night?” he asked as he studied the dog's irritated expression.

Ry shrugged. ”If it lasts. We really don't know if it will once, he falls asleep or if dad falls asleep.” He smiled down at the dog. ”Guess we'll find out.” His gaze moved back to Arei. ”You still didn't answer.”

Arei shot the dog a quick glance. ”I'm giving the girls time to settle before going inside myself. You know how small that bathroom is.”

Ry chuckled, ”Always the gentlemen. You should take some lessons.” He growled down at the dog.

Arei shook his head. ”Well good luck with that.” He turned toward the door and tapped lightly before opening it. ”Later.” He threw over his shoulder as he walked into the room.

Jos was snuggled up to Shelly on one side of the bed, leaving plenty of room in the massive bed for Arei. He chuckled lightly as he walked over to his bags and pulled out a pair of gym shorts before heading to the bathroom to change. When he was finished, he slid under the covers and turned over facing Jos's back. ”A smart man would spend the night over there in the window seat or in the floor tonight just in case.”

Jos let out a long breath. ”He's come in on us asleep together before, and I'm sure he's more than aware we are sharing a room now. What's the point in making it any more uncomfortable than it has to be?”

He ran a hand over her covered arm as he bent his head and placed a light kiss on her slightly exposed shoulder. ”Because I'd rather sleep uncomfortably one night than have to see you endure the kid's rage again.”

She tightened her grip around Shelly's snoozing body as thoughts of the night Russ had burst into her bedroom at the Embassy played through her mind. ”You locked the door, right?”

He nodded, releasing her and rolling over onto his back. ”I did; now get some sleep.”

Jos frowned and rolled over to face him, the moonlight from the window illuminating his features. ”Arei.” She whispered as she lifted her head onto his arm.

He smiled down at her in the darkness as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. ”What is it, Kitten?”

”Thank you.” She whispered as she nestled her head against his chest.

”For what?” He asked as he stroked the length of her arm.

She lifted a shaky hand to his chest and began tracing the pattern that now seemed just as much a part of her. ”For always being so kind and considerate, for giving me the time I need, for helping to be here for me and Shelly... for this.” She said as she snuggled against him. ”I've felt so lonely for so long. I thought by giving in to Russ that loneliness would go away but being with him only made me miss something else even more... it was this. The way you have always just cared and loved me without forcing it to be more, without demanding more.” Her eyes lifted to meet his. ”I can't help but regret the way I've treated you all this time and wish that I'd somehow been able to retrieve my memories on my own years ago. I feel like I'm to blame now, for not doing enough then.”

Arei pulled her tighter against him. ”You're not to blame for any of this. There are many things I could have did differently as well but didn't.” He was silent for a few minutes. ”Tell me, you said if I'd told you the full truth in Tampa things may have been different. Did you mean that?”

Jos thought it over before nodding. ”Had I known everything that I do now, I know it would have been? But I realized at least a fraction of your dishonesty almost immediately. As I said, those early memories hadn't been erased, and though I'd tried my best to repress them, the second I saw Ry in my living room most of them had already began plaguing my mind. The only thing I'd really lost was our time together here and some of the events that had followed.” A heavy frown curved her lips. ”You should know, it wasn't just you I lost with those memories... it was everyone here. All the people I'd finally been able to call friends... family... It's one of the few things I've always wanted.”

He could feel a tear drop onto his bare chest where her head rested. He turned onto his side and pulled her into his tight embrace. ”You have it back now, Kitten. And no matter what is to come, you'll never lose it again. Not only do you have your old family back, but you also have all the people you've met along the way.” He nodded to Shelly. ”You'll not be getting rid of her anytime soon.” He said with a chuckle as he kissed her forehead. ”Now get some sleep, tomorrow is going to be a trying day for sure.