My Soul Laid Bare: Book 4 (The Soul Keeper Series) Read Free Page B

company.” His dimple flashes as if he's trying hard not to unleash the gorgeous smile my way. He knows it’s my weakness, and he'll use it if he absolutely has to.
    “ I don't know how you managed to keep him away from me for nearly a week in the first place. Besides, it's his turn to woo me. Maybe going to dinner at a public place is just the buffer we need so I can get over this attack.”
    Sam spent the week trying to make his “drunken stupor” up to me. He apologized profusely multiple times and promised he would never drink another drop in his life time. I told him that I just needed time to get over it. I would be okay. All week I made excuses to avoid his touch, his kiss. Elijah stayed visible which made things much easier to cope with.
    “ Brennen, look at me.” He gently tips my chin up with his fingers. “There is no rush to get over being brutally attacked. You should think about telling Sam the truth or at least some version of it.” His eyes swim with nothing but love for me. I know he's right. I was hoping to spare Sam from ever knowing the truth. I remember how scared he was the first time he found out he attacked me.
    Elijah told him the truth to try and help get Sam and I back together. His plan backfired, and after that, Sam was afraid to go near me. He started dating Payton just to make me think he was over me. Of course when they wiped his memories, the truth about his mark went with it, and that reason is why I am so afraid to tell him the truth again.
    I break away from Elijah's hold and grab a few things for the shower. He disappears into the red sky world when he hears our lock being released. Lexi's back. She looks rejuvenated with fresh pink cheeks. Her skin is practically glowing.  Her hair is let down in generous waves of blond that almost rivals my own in length.
    She meets me at our bedroom door for a quick hug before she tosses her bag on her bed. “I am so glad to be back here. I never thought I'd live to see the day that I look forward to school starting back up.”
    “ Funny, I thought the same thing when I got home.”
    “ So how was your Christmas with Sam?”
    “ You wouldn't believe me if I told you.”
    “ Oh? Now you have to tell me.” She perches herself on the arm of the sofa eagerly awaiting the story.
    “ Christmas with Sam turned into Christmas with Sam and old friends of mine Elena, Inara, Will, and Jesson and then my ‘Cousin Elijah’ came a knocking.” I make air quotes around Cousin Elijah.
    “ Are you shitting me? Elijah showed up?”
    “ I shit you not.”
    “ Wow, so what happened?”
    “ We all sang Christmas carols by the fire and drank eggnog. It was all very Norman Rockwell.”
    Her brows dip down low in disbelief. “So Sam never caught on, and what about Elijah?”
    “ Let's just say, you thought your trig class was complicated? My love life couldn't be sorted out by Einstein himself.” I give a wink to Elijah in the red sky world as he narrows his eyes in my direction.
    “ Speaking of love life… I can't wait to see Asher. He's been on my mind since the day I left.” Lexi swoons over a cell phone picture of him as she dramatically plops her body down on the red shag rug. She smiles and kisses his glass lips.
    “ Uh oh, someone's venturing into love territory. Watch out Lex. You’re on the road to complicated.”
    “ I know. Isn't love wonderful, like brain scrambling, heart palpitating, and shave your legs twice in one day kind of crazy?”
    “ Yes, it sure is.” I leave her gushing on the floor and return to my task of readying myself for Sam's date.
    When I emerge from the bathroom, a cloud of steam follows me out. Lexi is still on the floor, rolled over on her stomach with her feet drumming out a beat as she’s texting Asher most likely.
    “Oh by the way, now that our roommates are gone, I was going to move into the other bedroom. I prefer not to have a window full of light searing my retinas every morning,” she mentions while