Dragons of Mount Valen: The Complete Box Set by Storm Riley

Author:Storm, Riley [Storm, Riley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: High House Press
Published: 2022-01-03T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Four

Stephanie

“What’s over?” Nico asked gently.

She snorted, the sound bubbly with snot from her crying.

Boy, what a sight and sound I must be right now. I’m sure Nico’s regretting coming over here already. I doubt dealing with me like this is how he envisioned spending his afternoon.

It was really nice of him to come over, and she was incredibly appreciative of it. He’d been there for her when nobody else was available.

“This is so not the normal sort of thing we talk about,” she said, forcing the waver out of her voice. “I just want to say thank you. Nobody else was around. I… I appreciate you coming over so I don’t have to be alone.”

Nico smiled and lifted his glass to her. “Nonsense. Everyone needs help at times. Needs company. I’m happy to be able to provide it to you. I’m sorry that things… I’m sorry.”

She smiled sadly. “What a fucking day.”

A pair of thin but full black eyebrows rose skyward at her language, language she rarely used.

“Yeah, I know,” she said, acknowledging it wryly. “But just wait till you hear what happened. Then you’ll understand.”

“I’m all ears,” he said softly. “Whatever you want to share.”

“I may as well tell you everything,” she said with a shrug. “No point in hiding any of the gruesome details. It’s going to get out anyway.”

Nico nodded, finishing his glass. “That’s fair.”

She started speaking, trying to get the words out faster than the tears, hoping to finish before her voice gave out on her as she relived the memory. “I came home, he was upstairs. In the spare room. With some little young thing underneath him. I thought it was porn. I’d hoped it was porn. It wasn’t,” she finished dully.

Nico’s glass shattered in his hand as he stared at her.

“Oh my god!” she yelped. “Are you okay? Nico your hand!”

“I’m fine,” he said, turning his hand over. “Got lucky, apparently.”

“Goodness, that is lucky. I thought for sure you’d have sliced it open,” she said, relief flooding her voice. “Here, let me clean that up.”

She went over to the sink and got the little brush and dustpan out from underneath it and crouched in front of him, picking up some of the larger chunks first.

Nico abruptly squatted down and started helping, dropping the pieces in the plastic pan.

“Thanks,” she said, reaching out for a big chunk.

Nico’s hand got there at the same time and they brushed together. A shock raced up her arm, leaving behind a warm and fuzzy feeling as it hit her shoulder and then spread out into her core.

Stephanie stared at her arm for a moment, wondering what the feeling was. She lifted her eyes to see Nico staring back at her.

“Oh gosh, I’m sorry,” she said, yanking her hand back abruptly.

As she did, she caught it on another piece of broken glass, and pain blossomed on the outside edge of her hand. Yelping, she lifted her hand away.

Nico reacted first. He grabbed her hand and pressed his hand against her wound.

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