Page 53 of Forever Touched

How was this possible? Fate must have a sick sense of humor. Wedidn’t evenlikeeach other. Well, we liked each other’s bodies. Alot. But a bond shouldn’t be based solely on sex. I would know.

“So, what now?” I asked, suddenly unsure of myself. It felt like my body had betrayed me somehow, forcing me to make a decision I hadn’t intended to make. This soulmate thing wasn’t going to work between us. There had to be a way to break it.

“I don’t know,” Everett replied, picking up my arm to examine the nasty cut I’d received during the fight. “But you need to drink my blood again. I can feel your pain, and it’s messing with my head.”

I pulled my arm free a bit too quickly. “It’s really not that bad. I’d rather heal naturally.”

He frowned, and I inwardly squirmed. “One drop of my blood will heal you in seconds. Why won’t you take it?”

“I just . . . I can’t, okay? I’m a . . . a vegan.” Spirits save me, that was pathetic.

Apparently, he thought so too. “Bull. You’re hiding something, and I want to know what it is.”

Sighing, I said, “Look, I’m extremely overwhelmed right now. Can I just clean up in the bathroom and go to bed, please? We can discuss this more in the morning.”

Or not.

I needed to leave at the crack of dawn and not a second later. I couldn’t risk Mistress’s wrath, and Pepper needed me. Without me there, she had no protection.

Everett stared at me far too intensely, but eventually, all he said was, “Fine, but this conversation isn’t over. I need to know what’s going on.”

“Why, because you’re the prince or because you’re my soulmate?” I snarkily replied.

“Both.”

Frustrated, I threw my hands in the air, then winced as my battered body complained.

“That’s it.” Before I could protest, Everett scooped me up and strode to the adjoining bathroom. “If you won’t drink my blood, then you’re going to at least let me patch you up.”

I rolled my eyes but let him set me on the bathroom counter, watching as he pulled a first aid kit from a drawer. Still, I couldn’t help but mutter, “Whatever you say, bossy pants.”

Lifting an eyebrow, he turned on the faucet to wet a towel. “Did you just call me ‘bossy pants’?”

“If the shoe fits. Or pants.”

He wrung out the towel. “And what should I call you?”

“Huh?”

“Your name. I want to know your real name.” When I stiffened, he threw me a knowing look. “I know it isn’t Star.”

Out of habit, I reached up to touch my mask, then paused. He’d already seen the real me, so what was the point in pretending? I was still alive. Still in one piece. He hadn’t ripped the real me to shreds. He’d saved me more than once now. He’d comebackfor me, although I still couldn’t understand why.

There were still secrets between us, secrets that could get us both killed, but he’d seen me. He’d seen the real me, and he was still here. Still trying tohelpme. And that was enough to make me lower my guard. Not all the way, but I pulled off my mask and set it on the counter, then opened my mouth to say, “My name is Adalyn. Adalyn Elise Starr.”

A sudden emotion warmed my chest, an emotion that wasn’t mine.

Pleased. He waspleased.

“Adalyn,” he slowly said, testing the name out. The way it rolled offhis tongue in a quiet rumble melted my insides. I stopped breathing as he reached up to touch my hair, running the sleek strands through his fingers. “It suits you.”

A shiver worked its way up my spine. A good one.

My gaze fell to his mouth, and I shivered again.

“That’s not a good idea.”

My eyes returned to his. “What?”

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