Page 25 of Guarding Fable

The other man shrugs, but Fable starts explaining.

“We had code words for each other. You’ve seen how devious my father is. So, only we knew the code words. Mine is Grimm.” I frown at her, not getting it. “Like in fairy tales, fables?”

“And Destiny’s?”

“Manifest.” She claps. “Like Manifest Destiny.”

These two girls have been through so much. The fact that she is smiling and clapping like she won a prize just because her sister sent a man to find her speaks volumes. A woman like Fable needs to be protected. Loved.

“How far is the house?”

“Less than two hours.” He gives the location of the house, and I know the area. Lots of wealthy people live in the area. Hell, there’s a rumor that Dwayne Johnson lives in that vicinity.

I glace over at Fable and realize what this means. She will go to her sister, and that will be the end of us. Of everything. I know she said differently, but the look on her face says otherwise.

I think my time is done.

10

Fable

Ican barely sit still as Leo follows Alessandro to the house Destiny and I bought. I get to see Destiny. I’ve figured out that we’ve been apart for close to a week. That’s the longest time we’ve spent apart in our lives.

Leo has grown quiet over the last thirty minutes. Stoic. I glance over at him, wondering what is going on. I had been ready to hop in the car with Alessandro when he showed up. Leo had insisted we go in his truck.

“Is something wrong?”

He shakes his head, and I frown. “What’s going on, Leo?”

He sighs, the sound so lonely I want to climb into his lap and kiss him until he smiles.

“Leo.”

He glances over at me, those steel eyes cutting me. “It really is nothing.”

We follow Alessandro through a gate and then down another road. Even as excitement fills me, I’m unsettled. Once we park beside the other car, I take in the massive house. It’s nice, and I like how it fits in with the scenery, but I prefer Leo’s cabin. It’s cozy and perfect.

“That’s big.”

I look over at him. “That’s what she said.”

He blinks at me, then chuckles, although the happinessdoesn’t reach his eyes.

“I’m not going in until you tell me what’s wrong.”

“I just, I wasn’t ready for things to end.”

“End? Are you dumping me?” Pain hits me hard. He said he cared for me. That he was falling for me. Was he lying?

“What?” He looks at me. “No. It’s just…” he waves his hand at the house. “I figured you would want to be with your sister.”

“Absolutely not. You aren’t getting rid of me that fast.”

He studies me, then he grabs me, dragging me across the console. I straddle him, and he smiles up at me. “I love you, Fable.”

“I love you too, Leo.”

I lean down to kiss him, and like always, time seems to fade away. We are lost in the kiss, our tongues tangling, our moans and groans growing. Then, there’s a hard tap at the window. We break apart and look over at the same time. Alessandro is standing there, disapproval in his eyes as he studies me. I feel my face heat. He’s giving Leo the evil eye.

---