Page 59 of Marked

“She speaks.” Ace’s gaze swept my body. “What do you need?”

“I’m cold.” My teeth had begun to chatter, and ice prickled my skin.

“Not much I can do to help you with that. I don’t want to risk a larger fire.” He swung his arm over my shoulders and pulled me into his body. Heat flowed around me where I nestled into his side.

“This helps.”

“Are you feeling better?” he asked, his voice unusually light.

“I think so. It was worse before, but I think I’ll bounce back. At this rate, I might be able to walk on my own in a few days.”

He squeezed my shoulders. “I’m not sure how much you caught of our conversation earlier, but your lover boy went to grab some healer shit. He shouldn’t be too much longer now.”

“He’s not my lover boy.”

Ace chuckled and shifted a little where he sat. “If you say so.”

But I did already say so. Repeatedly.

“What’s your problem with him?” I asked.

He glanced down at me, his expression tightening. “I don’t trust him.”

Well, I guess the feeling was mutual. Orion said the same thing about Ace.

“You don’t trust him because he’s being so suspicious?” I frowned. “What exactly has he done to not earn your trust?”

“He’s not acting suspicious. He’s letting his feelings cloud his judgment. Emotional hunters are unpredictable and dangerous and that’s why I don’t trust him.”

“Am I to believe that in addition to being an expert in hand-to-hand combat you also excel in therapy?”

“Psychology is probably more accurate.”

I rolled my eyes, and a wave of nausea instantly made me regret it. I took a deep breath and waited for the wave to pass.

“Can you elaborate?” I asked.

“He obviously cares about you very much.”

“You’re right, totally suspicious.”

“You know what I mean,” he said.

“Caring for me is hardly a crime.”

“Too much. He cares for you too much.”

Seriously? “You really know how to give a girl a complex. Am I not worth adoration? Am I not worthy of someone’s affection or of being cared for?”

He jerked his head back and blinked. “Of course, you are. That’s not the issue. The issue is that he stomped loudly through a forest with possible killers in it because he was worried about you and let his own fears outweigh logical thought and reasoning—you were and are perfectly capable of protecting yourself. You’re not some rookie in need of protection or coddling. He probably led the hunters straight to us.”

I shut my mouth.

“He didn’t pause to think about the consequences of his actions.”

“He doesn’t trust you,” I whispered. “That’s why he came to see me. He wanted to warn me.”

Ace’s smile somehow morphed into something cruel and sad at the same time. “Have you figured out why yet?”