Page 14 of Torn Between Two Worlds

Her head tipped back and connected with the back of the couch, and she cried. A ridiculous habit she’d vowed to stop years before but hadn’t seemed to stop doing the past few days. Small, quiet sobs wracked through her body, and she didn't bother to wipe the tears from her face. She wasn't handling any of it well. Life had taken a giant dump on her that week, and she had reacted by acting like a child. There was no other way to describe her behavior, even if Gina had spent all night reassuring her to have fun, Derrick was fine, and she would be too.

Gina knew how much Derrick cared for Ciara, and she knew how hard she was taking the breakup, even if Ciara wouldn't admit it aloud. That just made things worse, her half-assed explanation to herself. She was upset about the breakup, yet, had had no problem screwing around with a demon.

The generic ringtone drew her attention, and she smiled as she saw the caller ID. Without bothering to wipe her tears, she answered quickly to ensure he didn't hang up. “Derrick! I am so sorry I missed your call. I went out with Gina to cope. It was loud, and she said not to answer it.”

She could hear his laughter from the other end of the line. “Ci, breathe it's okay, really. I was just calling because I saw your calls. I couldn't get my international texts up and had no idea where a good internet cafe was when I first got here. So I went home, took a nap that turned into overnight sleep and then went in for introductions at the office so I could hit the ground running with recruiting season about to start.”

She bit her lip and laughed, snorting and sounding disgusting as the snot from her crying choked her a little. “I am glad that's what it was. You had me worried. Sorry, guess, sooner or later, I'm going to have to stop that, huh?”

Just talking to him and hearing his voice, already had her calming down a bit. The tears lessened, and she was breathing deeper to help her talk.

“Never, darling. I'll always care about you. Who knows, maybe, years down the road, we will bump into each other and decide we are still madly in love and were wrong to break up. Or maybe we won't. But either way, let's keep the friendship open for now, I could use one if you don't mind.”

“You know I don't. G just might have pointed out we are doing a bad thing. You know talking all the time.”

He snorted. “Oh screw, G. She just loves you and wants to move you on faster. Besides, you're probably dying with anticipation to see my awesome space. So I'm hanging up and then calling you back on Face Time. Wait till you see it!” The call disconnected without another word, and she laughed.

A few minutes passed by before the FaceTime invite popped up. Derrick's bright smile filled the screen, and she sniggered at the face he was making. “Oh, very sexy after me not seeing you for almost forty-eight hours.”

He laughed. “Oh hush, darling, you love it, and you know it. Maybe, if you're a good girl, I'll give you a striptease after the tour.” He wiggled his brows, and she laughed. “You know like I'm taking you home for the first time, not that there will be that anymore, but still.”

“No, I think the clothes better stay on. Time for you to find a sexy little Italian and me some boring American hunk.” She was laughing harder. Remembering just why they'd been so wonderful together, yet comparing it to her new feelings for a demon. She made a face back at him. “Where's that tour you were going to give me. Turn the phone around and walk. I want to see!”

He snorted, muttered something about impatient females and laughed as he turned the screen and began to narrate the virtual walking tour of his new place. It was quite a vast and open concept, strange for him being in Milan. The floors were a beautiful, Travertine tile that seemed to run throughout the home as the tour went. The kitchen was all black cabinets and brown and gold flecked granite. Floor to ceiling windows made her smile, thinking about the warmth of the Italian sun, and the beautiful view they must offer. On cue, he walked to the window. “And this is the window that I assume you would've sat in front of and stared out, writing countless novels.”

His carefree laugh continued to settle her fears, her sadness. He was doing okay making a joke out of it. Perhaps she needed to try his coping idea as well. Not getting it on with a demon.

One last stop at the master suite and she couldn't help the gasp. The room was large based on all the small rooms they’d seen during online home hunts, and also had the same ceiling to floor windows. But it was the claw foot tub and large shower that made her beam.

“Oh, it's absolutely fantastic! Are you sure I can't just move? Starving writers can live anywhere. Throw this whole breakup to the wind?”

He laughed and turned the phone around in time to catch the huge yawn she uttered.

She blushed. “I'm sorry, Derrick. I promise you're not boring just ‘cause we broke up.”

“No, it's what, five thirty over there? I'm sorry I just wanted to call you before I went out to some bigwig dinner tonight. You know, to brag about my crib and, of course, to tell you how much I missed you.”

She groaned at his horrible use of slang. “Maybe, while you're there, the Italians will be able to stop that annoying habit. It is a beautiful place. I can't wait to see it in person, but I am about to pass out and drool on my phone. Enjoy that dinner. Please don't be a stranger, Derrick. I mean it.” And she did.

He said as much, and she disconnected from FaceTime and dragged herself to the bed, not having any thoughts before passing out.

Stryder felt like an ass. She'd sent him away again, and they were coming up on three days since he'd seen her. He knew he should just use the shimmering door that had appeared in his Grecian home. But, somehow, he knew intruding wasn't going to win him any favors with her.

He'd been at war with himself over it the entire time. However, the disgust in her voice and the look in her eyes after he'd made her scream in pleasure was enough to make him sick. Women didn't act as if he was disgusting, and they certainly didn't do it after a mutual orgasm, the first of many he had hoped to come. But his mate had. She'd been disgusted and more.

Wine and dine, as his last brother, Famine, would say. And wine and dine he would. He would make sure to keep himself in check, and as long as nothing attacked them, he would be able to. He wasn't a walking cock after all, despite the way he felt sometimes.

So when the shimmering door grew opaque and revealed Ciara sleeping calmly in her bed, he took that as his invitation to return and take what was his.

9

He wasquiet when he stepped through his personal doorway to her world. But he wasn't distant. His instinct was to climb into bed beside her and hold her, but that would only make things worse. So he stood beside the bed and watched her. Her sleep was a peaceful one, and he wondered what had been occurring in her world the past three days.

He always wondered what it would look like to watch his mate sleep. Fasheem, his other brother, also known as Famine's Second, had found his mate centuries prior and compared his wife to a sleeping angel. After a life spent learning to fight and not much else, it shocked him that his brother even knew a term like that. However, he did know he wanted it for himself too.

A smile curved on his lips. Ciara didn't look like an angel. In fact, she looked frazzled with her hair splayed all over the pillow and her mouth open. The peaceful thing about her was her breathing rhythm. Calm and steady.

His hand reached out and brushed some hair from her cheek, and she moaned softly. The sound went straight to his dick. He had to take a step back and breathe deeply to not wake her and claim her. She rolled over as he backed away, and he missed being able to see her face.

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