Marker of Hope Read Free Page B

it. I heaved in a tattered breath.
How could I have allowed myself?
    “It’ll heal in a few minutes,” he said. “I
assume it’s what you’re worried about.” He produced a handkerchief
from his pants pocket and wiped his mouth and hand.
    “I didn’t mean to…to…do that,” I
apologized.
    I suppose I should’ve been worried about him,
concerned I could’ve just killed him. But instead, I was nervous
for me. The Creatura inside me was more conniving than Eros. It was
sly and aggressive, and, worst of all, it was overpowering me.
    “Why are you two still out there?” Claire’s
voice came from inside the house.
    Eros sucked his lower lip into his mouth just
as Galilea stepped onto the porch. Claire followed behind her.
    “I know where I’ve seen you.” Claire held up
a fashion magazine. “Right here.” She looked at me. “He’s in
here.”
    Eros took the magazine from Claire. He turned
away, giving us his back, and flipped through the magazine.
    “Oh yes. I remember this.” He faced us, his
lip already healed. “I don’t do many of those.” He handed the
magazine back to Claire. “It’s a hobby, really.”
    “What’s a hobby?” I asked.
    “He’s an underwear model.” Galilea rolled her
eyes. “Mister Vanity and tighty-whities.”
    “See for yourself,” Claire said, opening the
magazine. She held it up for me to see. The page she showed me
featured a black-and-white full-page advertisement of Eros standing
on a rock surrounded by half-naked women pawing at his
underwear—the one article of clothing on his body.
    A green, snarling monster crept deep into my
chest and screamed a hundred expletives at the women in the
magazine. I shouldn’t have felt the way I did. I shouldn’t have
been jealous. But I was, and it infuriated me.
    “What do you think?” Eros asked.
    I didn’t look at him when I said, “Nice
hobby.”
    “Let’s go inside.” Claire fanned herself with
the magazine. “It’s scorching out here, and these mosquitos are
going to eat us alive.”
    “Oh, no. He can’t—we can’t stay,” Galilea
said. “We have a thing. We’re going to—”
    “Nothing that can’t be done later.” Eros
stepped next to Claire. “I wouldn’t mind spending a few more
minutes with these two beautiful ladies.”
    Claire let out a girlish, high-pitched laugh
and led Eros through the front door.
    ***
    After a few glasses of cheap wine, a lot of
giggling, and a conversation about Eros’s underwear-modeling
career, Claire excused herself, saying she was feeling lightheaded
and needed to lie down. But first, she took a selfie with Eros to
show off at the office. I can’t say I wasn’t embarrassed by my
mother’s fangirl elation, but then I remembered the effect Cupid
had on women; they turned into putty in his presence—flirty,
acquiescent idiots. I wondered if it was the type of girl I turned
into around him. Nah .
    “Your mother’s a charming woman, not to
mention beautiful.” Eros set his glass of water on the coffee
table. “I can see why Samuel couldn’t help himself.”
    “Don’t you talk about my mother in that way,”
I hissed.
    “Oh, right. I forget she’s my future
mother-in-law.” He set his arm over the back of the sofa. “Shall we
get down to business?”
    “Since when do we have business with you?”
Galilea asked.
    “No one’s talking to you, Galilea.” Eros
turned his attention back to me. “When are you going to tell your
mother?”
    “What the hell? He’s been here two seconds,
and you already told him you’re pregnant?” Galilea asked in a
surprised loud whisper. “You kept it from me for weeks.”
    I felt like the armchair I was seated in was
trying to swallow me whole. I wished it would.
    “P-pregnant?” Eros stuttered, and I looked
down at the floor.
    “Oops,” I heard Galilea mumble. “My bad.”
    “You’re pregnant,” Eros repeated, and then
waited for me to say something. I didn’t. “Does David know?”
    I shook my