Page 46 of Protect Me
“Yeah,” I say.
In more ways than one.
“Good. I love to eat these days, and I don’t want to do it alone. Come on.”
She leads me out of the apartment, down the hall, and into the cafeteria. The aroma of food fills my lungs and makes my stomach growl. Liv grabs a tray then hands me one. She piles hers high with fruit cups, eggs, bacon, and muffins. When I do the same, she actually high-fives me.
“What’s that for?” I ask.
“Eating should be a team sport, that’s all.” She grabs her tray and heads for a table by the window. “Come on.”
I laugh and follow her over. “I’m surprised you’re down here. I figured you ate breakfast with the Ringmaster.”
She waves her hand dismissively. “He’s at that boring security briefing this morning.” Reaching for the butter, she smirks at me, adding, “Besides, I already had the appetizer before I came down.”
I nearly choke on my orange juice but manage to swallow it down. “Oh.”
“Well, I’m pregnant, not dead,” she says with a laugh.
“Fair point.” I return her grin, and together, we dig into our food.
It’s actually really good. Much better than I expected for cafeteria-style. Apparently, the Ringmaster takes care of his people. It's a direct contradiction to his hard reputation, but the more time I spend with Liv, the less his kindness surprises me. She clearly softens him. Instead, I wonder what he was like before they met. I bet that’s a hell of a story.
“Whoa, you have that look in your eye.” Liv’s words call me back, and I blink, refocusing on the strawberries and yogurt in front of me. “Like you were a million miles away just then. Everything okay?”
“Yeah, it is.” She looks unconvinced. “I swear, I’m just settling in and still figuring everyone out.”
“Uh-huh. And does everyone include three hot lion shifters?”
Well, shit. She’s not going to hold anything back. I lean back in my chair and meet her gaze. “Actually, I was wondering about you and the Ringmaster. He doesn’t seem like the paternal type, and yet...”
She holds up her hand. “Fair enough. My question was nosy as hell. But I hope you’re not offended. I guess I’m rusty at making friends. And the truth is, I like you. I actually see a lot of myself in you.”
The words themselves sound a bit cliché, but the shadow that passes behind her normally sunny gaze is not.
“You showed up bloody and beaten on their doorstep too?” I can’t help but ask.
“Sort of.”
“Seriously?” I gape at her. “I didn’t actually mean—”
“Oh, I know.” She waves me off. “You’d never know it to meet me now, but my past was not an easy one. My power was a bit of a sore spot, and, in the end, my parents pushed me away because of it. I found myself tied to a man who only wanted me because I was easy to control. He abused me and would have ultimately killed me if I’d stayed there. So I ran. D found me damn near dead in an alleyway. He offered me a safe haven in exchange for service then killed everyone who was after me. This place is where I found freedom. And then love.” She gently touches her rounded belly.
My throat tightens as I listen to her story. A story that sounds eerily familiar to my own. The difference is that she was saved by her attachment to the people here. That isn’t in the cards for me.
“I’m so sorry,” I say quietly.
“Don’t be. I’m not that girl anymore. And I wouldn’t trade my past for anything because it brought me here. It is the reason I get to be a mom to this little one.” She rubs her hand over her belly, and I can feel the love emanating from her now.
It’s beautiful—even as it reminds me of everything I can never have.
“I don’t think my ending will be as happy as yours,” I tell her. “But I’m so glad you got away.”
“You got away too,” she points out.
“That doesn’t mean I’m safe.”
She looks ready to say more, but I don’t think I can talk about this without crying, so I stand up, grabbing my tray. “Thanks for breakfast,” I say. “I need to get going.”