Compounding Traumas (Artemis University #6) - Erin R Flynn Page 0,48

are her favorite flowers?” There was a pause. “What?”

“The ones Craftsman and Darby used to make with magic for her,” Izzy said gently. “It’s sweet you’d want to spoil her though. I’ll help you do it if you keep being nice. Now go shower her before she wakes up gross.”

There was more she said, but I completely fell asleep then, mostly waking when we were in the shower and he was washing my hair.

“Why are you so depleted?” he whispered. “It’s like a weird form of exhaustion. It’s almost like when the master’s students are completely sleep-deprived, studying for their last finals and finishing degree papers.”

“I’ve been having trouble sleeping,” I mumbled, my mouth working faster than my mind kept up with. “I use healing runes to cover it up. No one knows. I have too much to do and people to help. My personal shit can’t get in the way of saving my people.”

“Ohhh, kitten,” he rasped, hugging me to him. “How long has this been going on?”

I snorted, snuggling up against him. “Since I came into this fucking world. There just used to be ways to keep it all at bay.”

He went stiff, immediately understanding my meaning. The “ways” were Craftsman, Darby, and even Hudson. They helped me sleep peacefully, and at times, even kept the nightmares away. But I didn’t have them anymore.

“We’ll figure something out,” he murmured before brushing his lips over mine. “I’ll come up with a way to sneak into your bed and hold you at night without people finding out.”

I snorted. “Right, because that’s completely selfless. For one, you’d take up most of the bed and probably feel me up all night.”

He chuckled and pressed his lips against my ear as if worried someone would overhear us, even with the shower. “I know you’re a secret snuggler, kitten. I figured that out when we spent the weekend at your resort. You snuggled with all of us any chance you got. I’m part bear; I know snuggling and who needs snuggles.”

“Tell anyone, and I’ll castrate you, bear,” I threatened, not having the energy to put any real malice in my voice.

“All of your secrets are locked away in my tat.”

It was hard not to laugh. He included my inclination to snuggle in the super powerful mind locking tattoo? Oh, that was too fucking funny.

“I’m hanging her robe on the doorknob,” Izzy hollered to us. “We’re going to get food. Zack brought the first round to fuel her up. See ya in a bit.”

“Thanks, Izzy,” I called back to let her know I was okay.

“It’s cool. I totally abused his Portal Chow account to order tons and check out even more on his unlocked phone. I’ll fill you in later.” She paused. “No more sex or I’ll clip your balls, bear.”

We waited several moments until we were sure she was gone, but I wasn’t really sure what to say. I realized Lucca wasn’t waiting, but dying of laughter, his face in my hair covering the sound. He threw back his head and let it out, gasping for air as he hugged me to him.

“What did she find on there that was so good?” I teased, losing my mirth when he flinched. “What?”

“Um, I figured she checked my browsing history on there or used other apps I had to spoil you, which I would want.”

“But?” I pushed when he didn’t continue.

“I figured she’d snitch that any porn I’ve watched has a redhead in it. For a while.”

“That’s not why you flinched.”

“Um, no.” He cleared his throat when I pulled away. “I remembered what else was saved on my phone. From before I even met you.”

Ahhh, we were back to what he’d said earlier that implied there were lots of women in his past. “Let’s finish in here and get me food so I can think clearly and not simply beat you up.”

“Yes, dear,” he drawled, snatching away the soap when I tried for it. He made quick work of finishing both of us before I could argue. Plus, it felt too good. Fine, I didn’t really want him to wash me when we might have a problem, but I was seriously tired.

A couple of minutes later, I was sitting on my bed in the short bathrobe I had gotten to keep from the photo shoot, and he had my towel wrapped around his waist. Izzy started us off with a few Five Guys burgers and fries. I had always thought they were overpriced hype… Until I’d