The Beast And The Blessed

Sixty-One: Joselin

Joselin’s P.O.V.

Tobias held me tightly that night, and what was supposed to be an hour- long power nap ended up being a full night's sleep. I had a moment of panic when I realized how much time I had lost. We were lucky that nothing had happened with Cora while we were asleep, and I couldn't risk wasting any more time.

Yet, the way Tobias's breath fanned over my neck and he nuzzled against me, felt so good that it almost hurt me to pull away from him when I woke.

As soon as I did, Tobias was up and on high alert. He scanned the room before his gaze landed on me, and I felt guilty that he was so on edge. I knew it wasn't just because of Cora. He was concerned about our relationship too.

His dark hair was in disarray, and his beautiful brown eyes could have melted my soul if he wanted them to.

’Good Morning," I whispered before approaching him and kissing his cheek, hoping he wouldn't smell my morning breath.

Any concern I had about that was washed away when he wrapped his arms around me and kissed his mark on my neck. It sent a shiver through me, and when he pulled back, I could see the warmth and happiness in his eyes.

He looked like a completely different man than last night.

'You look beautiful.” His deep voice washed over me, and my cheeks flushed at his compliment. I knew it was a lie. I had just rolled out of bed. My hair and teeth hadn't been brushed, and I knew with my luck that I would probably have dried drool on my chin.

‘Thank you," My hands traveled up his biceps, and never in my life had I been happier that he preferred to sleep naked. It was, by far, one of the best sights a woman could wake up to. "You look incredible."

'Last night was one of the best night's sleep I have had in a long time," Tobias murmured as he stepped back, pulling me with him to the bathroom. He looked happy. He sounded happy.

The sudden switch in his demeanor from last night, when he was concerned about our relationship, to now was startling. Something had changed, but I wasn't sure what it was.

'Shower with me.” His insistence made my mouth water, and everything in me screamed to agree. I needed to shower anyway, but I could only ignore Cora for so long before she acted out again. Tobias noticed my hesitation as I glanced back to the table where the list of locations sat. He turned my chin to face him. 'Please, it can be fast."

The day I said no to showering with him was when I had lost my mind, especially when he said please, like he would be willing to beg for that small moment with me.

legs as I allowed him to pull me into the bathroom. He stripped my shirt off first, his hands sliding down my sensitive breasts to my waist. His thumbs ran along the band of my shorts before he slowly lowered those as

pin me against the shower wall and

me to use the restroom before leaving the room. I was stunned and would have been embarrassed

my business, washed my hands, and brushed my hair and teeth, I found Tobias standing over the list of Cora's known locations. Only it wasn't the same list as before. A fresh sheet of paper was on top with places I

they had given me

to see if there was something in each location I had been

before kissing the top of my head and

was only a minute later that he was done, and I was being pulled from the list once more and dragged away right under the spray of the

dream. I had expected it, craved

inch of my body more than once, making sure to be thorough with slow and loving touches and strokes. Once satisfied, he took the shower head and rinsed my body with

affection. It reminded me of when he told me that same thing all those weeks ago. Even without sex, having his undivided attention on me and having him show me how much he loved

it was over, I felt brand new, ready to take on the day and anything that could be

I saw Cyrus moving stiffly toward us through the hallway. He looked sore and in pain. The color hadn't returned to his

that

suspicion that I was withholding from Tobias could wait. I had a reason to

telling Cyrus about Cora using the blood I had stolen from him, and she had then stolen from

for what I had done, but he nodded at us

I looked back over my shoulder at Tobias before glancing back at Cyrus. "I

he usually spoke was gone, and the wrinkles around his eyes that normally stuck out from his constant

I hadn't felt so guilty when I looked at him, I might have snapped about the slight and seemingly unintentional

we eat, we can go to Killian's office and work there." My stomach growled, and Tobias touched my lower back, gently guiding me toward the private dining hall. I was in no mood to eat with the rest of

Tobias had him snapping his jaw shut with a sigh of frustration through his

only rolled more when we entered the room and saw the group of people already eating. Killian sat at the head of the table with Natalie to his left. Aurora and

seats, and I moved forward to sit next to Natalie, dipping my head

from Margot. Those

each other. Like siblings who were stuck together and loved to annoy each other and fight, but they still stood by each other when they had the choice to walk