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I wandered downstairs a short time later and found Alaric out on the back patio. He had steaks on the grill which emitted a mouth-watering aroma into the air. I slowly stepped outside as he had his back turned toward me. I closed the door and the sound brought him around to look at me.

“Hey you,” he smiled his gorgeous smile at me.

“Hi,” I replied back with a lame wave.

“Do you like steaks?” he questioned as he turned back to his grill.

I nodded and then realized he wasn’t looking at me. “Yeah,” I said softly as the sun shone upon my exposed wrists. I stared sadly at the marks Ace had left behind. I pulled the sleeve down and over them as though if they were out of sight, they somehow magically didn’t exist.

“Why don’t you sit down?” he asked as he pointed toward a patio chair with his grill tongs as he glanced back at me. “Make yourself comfortable.”

I followed his order, but guilt weighed me down in my seat as he worked. “I feel bad you doing everything. I am capable of helping