Page 62 of Descent

She smiles at me softly, but I don’t match it. Instead, I hold my arm out in offering, and she instantly takes the invitation, burrowing herself into my side as the chill of the November air ripples through her.

“You should go inside,” I say.

“Only if you come with me.”

I shake my head.

“Because of Asher? It was a mistake, Vincent. I know you two don’t get along, but he feels bad, so do I. I should have just shut the door. It was simple enough. I don’t know why I didn’t. You should be upset with me, not him.”

I look down at her and shake my head.

“I could never be upset with you, Siren. It’s not your responsibility to keep yourself safe; it’s ours.”

“Doesn’t that seem a little backwards to you?” she teases.

“No.”

Her smile flattens, and she nods, staring off in the same direction that I am.

“Well, what’s the plan? Are we just going to move out here? I gotta say I wish I would have packed a jacket or something.”

Wordlessly, I slip off my leather jacket and wrap it around her shoulders before zipping it to her chin. She smiles up at me softly.

“I was kidding.”

Shrugging my shoulders, I slip my hands into my pockets. I need to get the fuck away from here, at least for the night, preferably longer. I know that if I even see Asher’s goddamn face, I’m sure to beat it to a pulp, and as much pleasure as itwould bring me, I know how much pain it would bring my siren. So, I refrain. Like always.

“Wanna go somewhere with me for the weekend?” I ask.

“Just the two of us?” she questions.

I nod before turning to face her.

“Where?”

“In the hills, near where I took you to that spring.”

“When would we leave?” she asks, as she crosses her arms.

“Now.”

“Like right now?” she asks. “It’s a little cold for a bike ride, don’t you think?”

“I drove my car today. What do you say?”

She rolls her lips together in thought before she nods.

“Okay, let me go grab some clothes.”

“I’ll meet you outside the gate,” I say, gesturing to the front gate of the house.

Skyla nods as she slips back inside, handing me my jacket before shutting the door. I slip it on, inhaling her sweet perfume that is already lingering against the cool leather. My steps quickly cross the yard, slipping through a shortcut in the trees that drops me right out to my car. I hop inside and fire up the car, before popping off the plates just in case. I’m not sure if anyone would think to follow us, but I’m always acting on the side of caution.

Once that’s done, I drive the block to their house, pausing just outside the gate.

My car has the darkest tint on the market, so no one can see in, only out. It makes jobs that much easier, or in cases like this, where I am taking my girlfriend away to without anyone knowing who she is getting in the car with.

She steps out the front door, kissing Asher as she does, before making her way down the driveway and to the gate. It swings open before she can reach it, and Ronan nods at her fromthe doorway. She gives a grateful wave before slipping into the passenger seat. I already turned on the heated seats, and I have the heater on full blast for her.

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