The Lie That Binds: Rise & Converge Series: Book 1 by S.E. Chandler

Author:S.E. Chandler [Chandler, S.E.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: S.E. Chandler
Published: 2022-03-09T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

The Best Frayed Plan

Ehra awoke to the electronic lock opening her front door. She froze and held her breath until she heard the familiar knocking about and low, raspy voice of Mamara. After a flash of relief, seething rage flushed through her. She shot out of bed, the towel wrapped around her flapping open. She threw open the bedroom door ready to unleash.

Mamara whipped around from the refrigerator, seeing Ehra barely covered and furious.

“Babe!” Mamara shouted. “Oh hey, I’m, uh, sorry we woke you.”

Ehra saw Janus and a baby-faced, about six-months-pregnant, Omeo woman standing in the kitchenette, all of them gawking at her.

“Um, this is Aster,” Mamara got out. “Aster, this is Ehra.”

“You have got to be kidding me, Mar,” Ehra said, with a laser stare of disgust, and retreated into the bedroom followed by a slam of the door.

“Sorry, Ehra,” Janus called out. Having never seen anything of Ehra above the knees or elbows, Janus gave Mamara an approving head toss. She glowered at him and shook her head.

“Yeah, I think we need a minute. Sorry, Aster, this isn’t about you. Really.” Mamara went to the bedroom door. “Maybe more than a minute. You should fix yourselves something to eat.”

Mamara knocked on the door and said, “If it’s not ok for me to come in, tell me now.”

“Go away!” Ehra yelled, unmuffled.

“I’m taking that as a yes.” Mamara let herself in.

Alone in the kitchen, Janus and Aster collided in a flurry of arms and mouths and hands ravenously rediscovering each other. Food yes, but it could wait.

It was dark, but Mamara didn’t need to see to find her way to where Ehra had thrown herself on the bed. Mamara slipped her hand under the tangles of the towel, caressing Ehra’s back. She rolled toward Mar and grabbed her wrist. Mamara let her, although she could easily jerk away.

“Mar, this is not ok,” Ehra said through clenched teeth.

“Babe, please. Calm down and talk to me.” Mamara smoothed her wet hair from her face. Physical touch soothed Ehra when she was upset. The connection grounded her and brought her salty side to heel. It didn’t matter how it worked, just that it made it easier to talk to Ehra when she was flooded.

Ehra wanted to fold into Mamara’s frame, dissolve into tears and be reassured that she was loved. But she wasn’t done being mad at Mamara and couldn’t give in to better sensibilities yet.

“Where have you been? Why haven’t you messaged me or anything all day?”

“I’m sorry, babe. My card died and I didn’t have my booster. I wanted to talk to you and tell you what was going on—”

“Yeah, what is going on. What are they doing here?”

“They just needed a place to be for tonight. The plan has changed.”

“The plan? What plan? We never had a plan other than to keep Janus alive.”

“Please babe, calm down and listen.”

“I’m so mad at you, but I want you to hold me. And I’m mad that I want that,” Ehra said, giving in, nestling under Mar’s chin.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.