Page 17 of Fire in Stone

I shifted my focus to him. “Is there any chance, maybe…that you could turn back?”

It felt weird to ask, but did I have a choice?

“Back to what?” Suspicion slipped into his voice.

“To the statue you were last night?”

He narrowed his dark eyes at me. “Why would I do that?”

“In about thirty minutes, someone will be here to collect a statue, but all I have is…well, you.”

“Collect me?” His coal-black eyebrows moved into a frown.

In one fluid motion, he turned to face the door. His wings shrank and retreated, melting into the skin on his back. Only the outline of them remained in the shape of the tattoo. His hands balled into fists. His stance widened. Elex clearly intended to fight anyone who’d come here to take him.

“Is itbracks?” he asked me over his shoulder.

“What?” I tucked my shirt into my skirt, then found my shoes.

“Bracks, Ghata’s people. Are they coming here?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Maybe instead of wasting time on trying to talk me into fucking you, you should’ve explained to me who these people were. And since you refuse to turn back into the statue—”

He stepped to me and placed his hands on my shoulders.

“I cannot take my stone form at will, Amber. The sun controls that. Gargoyles turn to stone at sunset and return to this form at sunrise. Now tell me, who is coming to collect me?” He gave me a slight shake, as if trying to knock the answer out of me. “I need to know. Who is after me?”

I shifted my gaze to the door, then to the cell phone, then to the ugly shower curtain in the corner—anywhere but to his inquisitive eyes.

“I…”

“I’m a thief who stole you, Elex, in order to sell.”

Those few words would’ve told him the whole truth, but they were so hard to say. For some inexplicable reason, his opinion of me mattered. And I knew he’d never think about me the same way if he learned the truth.

I heaved a breath.

“We should leave here.”

I imagined the buyer would be upset, rightfully so, if he showed up to collect the goods and found them…altered so dramatically. Or maybe the buyer knew all along what Elex was? Maybe that was the reason he paid so much to get him?

But could I risk it and wait here for his people?

More importantly, Elex clearly didn’t want to be sold or bought. He was a person, not a statue. And that changed everything. I didn’t trade in people.

I grabbed my phone and sent Chris a quick text,“Cancel the pickup. Change of plans. I’ll explain later.”

I turned the notifications off. Chris would go ballistic, but he’d have to deal with it.

“Personally, I’d rather not face the people who want you, Elex.” I packed my duffel bag promptly, shoving into it the few things I’d taken out last night. I looked around the room to make sure I didn’t forget anything.

“Where are we going?” he asked with lingering wariness.

I didn’t blame him. I’d given him no reason to trust me.

“To the train station,” I said. There wasn’t that much choice at this point. We had to get out of this apartment as soon as possible. “We’ll have breakfast. I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry, and I need coffee.” Lots and lots of coffee to deal with all of this. “We’ll also have to talk, you and I.” I had to know everything to make the best decision about what to do next.

I gave him a once-over, taking in his tall, muscular figure from the soft boots on his feet, up his velvet pants with gold lacing at the waist, and finally to his bare chest. He would stand out from the crowd. There was no doubt about that.

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