The beast and the blessed novel by Ashley Breanne novel Chapter 167

Sixty: Tobias

Tobias's P.O.V.

She had been hunched over the table for hours, staring at a smaller map covered in pins from the list of locations, trying to find a connection.

Everyone who had been helping had long since gone to bed, deciding it would be safe to take a break for the night and come back with fresh eyes tomorrow.

Joselin didn't.

So we sat together, looking for a pattern or reason for why Cora was visiting all these places. Her motive was hidden in there somewhere. We just had to find it, and the puzzle would drive Joselin mad if she didn't get some sleep.

“Please get some rest," I whispered, taking her hand in mine and pulling on it gently to get her to face me. She glanced my way before turning back to the list of locations.

Joselin still had dark circles under her eyes, and I knew she was running out of energy. My worry for her only increased when I saw her find that hair in Rona's room. She had slipped it into her pocket and went on her way.

After seeing that, I knew Rona wasn't cursing her as we thought. But she still felt like shit, and it was obvious. Her movements were slower, and her appetite was still suppressed.

Her face would flush every now and then, and I could hear her swallow hard when a bought of nausea would hit her. Something was wrong, and I could only support her until she was ready to open up to me about it. With the stress of Cora running free, there was no way she would be honest with me right now if I asked her.

She would probably tell me it was nothing to worry about and go on pretending that she was okay. But she wasn't okay, and I watched her like a hawk.

"There has to be a reason," She muttered, her fingers lacing into her hair as she rested her elbows on the table. "I feel like it is right in front of me, and I just can't see it."

“Even if it is only one hour, let's get some sleep, and we can come back to it with fresh eyes." My insistence went in one ear and right back out the other. She was either intentionally ignoring me or was so lost in thought that she really didn't hear me when I spoke.

The food I had asked to be brought to her tower sat untouched, but she drank the glass of water. It was a small win and a lot of worry.

“Josie," I said, urging her again to look at me, but her hand was limp in my hold. My frustration grew, and I was ready to snap at her because I was worried and wanted to be heard. I wanted to know she was okay, but she didn't deserve me snapping at her. She was clearly burnt out, didn't feel good, and was stressed.

Yet, I couldn't help myself as I stood, my chair sliding back loudly before I slid my arms behind her knees and back. Joselin struggled as I carried her away from the table, but she was no match for me.

As much as I wanted to make her happy, her well-being also came first. I was doing this for her own good.

“Let me go. I was on to something!" Joselin shouted, her body twisting to break out of my hold.

"You stubborn woman! We both know you have no idea what the connection is between those locations. Right now, no one does besides Cora. You cannot fight her without being well-rested, so we might as well return to this once you are stronger." I brought her to the bathroom, setting her on the counter with my body between her legs, keeping her in place as I leaned over and grabbed a washcloth from beneath the sink.

She watched me closely as I got it wet and wiped her face slowly and carefully. The fabric slid across her smooth skin, and her breath fanned my face as she sighed when I moved it down her neck and across her chest.

“Baby, I really don't have the energy to fuck tonight," She whispered, and while I had no intentions of having sex tonight, the way the name 'baby1 rolled off her tongue sent a shot of pleasure right through me.

“I know, sweetheart. I don't want to tonight, either. I just want to take care of you." Her hands rested on my hips, gripping my shirt as her lips parted as though she wanted to say something, but she snapped them shut.

My eyes narrowed. "What's going through that pretty little head of yours?"

"Nothing." She turned her head to look away from me. I wiped the cloth over her collarbone once more before letting it fall on the counter and grabbed her chin to turn her to face me.

"You're lying to me. When did you start doing that?" My eyes were locked on her lips, and my thumb moved up from her chin to run along her plump bottom lip. It moved with me as I pulled it down slightly, and I leaned in and stole a light peck before pulling back to look into her eyes.

Her long lashes fluttered as she opened them slowly as if dazed from my kiss. Goddess, that kind of reaction from such a small touch made me feel like a fucking king.

“Nothing has changed," Joselin replied, her fingers pinching and gently pulling at my shirt as she stared down at my chest. Her shoulders were hunched forward, and she leaned into me with her cheek on my chest. “I'm just exhausted. We should leave when this is over and go on a vacation. It could be just the two of us. No stress, no distractions."