Page 38 of No Longer Safe

The thought of him making a face when I asked him to eat me out popped into my head. “Does every relationship have passion?”

She climbed back onto the bed and smoothed out invisible wrinkles on the blanket. “It should. He should ignite you.”

Later that night as Carina lay in bed beside me, sound asleep, I thought about what she said. Brian did not ignite me, but he was stable and he would be a good father. I wanted someone like that for my future children. I didn’t want to have to go back into the cesspit that was dating. I didn’t want to have to weed through the masses again. I wanted to be done. I wanted to be ready.

But no matter how much I tried to convince myself, I knew that I wasn’t.

Emeline greetedus with wide arms while Sinclair was absent. He’d been gone more and more these days. “I hope your flights were uneventful and I hope you are ready for more partying.” She winked at me and my face flamed. She’d definitely been watching from her cameras. I couldn’t blame her, though I was embarrassed. At least I hadn’t had any alcohol in my system.

“Both of your rooms are all made up. With Grandmother here this weekend, you will not be sleeping in the same room as your significant others, but they will be across the hall from the both of you.” She grabbed both of our hands like we were dear friends to her. “I hope that’s alright, Grandmother is a bit… old school.”

“I’m totally okay with that,” I choked out. “She’s scary enough.”

Emeline kissed the back of my knuckles as she chuckled. “Yes, Grandmother had a hard life, but she means well. She only wants the best for her family.” She twirled us around and led us up the steps. “She will be here any moment, which means… You mustn’t tell her that you both don’t have any money or influence. Keep that part out of the conversation at all costs necessary.”

Carina’s brows dipped. “What do you mean?”

“Arranged marriages are very common in our circles, in fact,” She dropped our hands and looked into Carina’s eyes with sympathy. “Marrying someone under your social society standard is very frowned upon. I do not mean this to hurt your feelings, but it is simply how it is around these parts. Marrying for love is not very common.”

Carina didn’t seem to be phased. She nodded her head and when Emeline pulled her into a hug, she accepted it graciously. “I understand.”

“I wish that weren’t the way it was, but unfortunately it is. I wouldn’t change it for my life, but I always wanted more for my children.” She patted Carina’s hands and led us up the front steps. “I’m sorry to hear your mother won’t be joining us.” Theagainwas understood. Once again, Carina’s mother made up some excuse to not be able to make it. She didn’t accept Ace and she wouldn’t accept this life for her daughter.

My best friend’s face fell. “I’m sure she would have made it if she could.”

If she wanted to.

If you were marrying anyone else.

“We will have a full staff this weekend, so please use them for whatever whim you both need. Whatever the occasion, they are here to serve you.”

She disappeared into the house and we were left feeling deflated. Carina could try to hide it all she wanted to but I knew better. The reminder of her mother not coming and the fact that she didn’t belong here hung heavily on her shoulders.

I wrapped my arms around her. “I’m here for you. I know it isn’t the same, but at least you aren’t alone.”

She nodded. We would get through this together.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Alexei

We weresix hours from Brian getting here. His flight was supposed to land at any minute and then he would make the long drive to the estate in upstate New York. I hated it, I hated him, and dammit, I hated myself. All of this was a mess.

I shared a wall with Audrey and at night, she and Carina talked and planned. I could barely hear their muffled voices through the thin sheetrock. Thank God for old homes that were redone poorly. They, unfortunately, didn’t speak of anything of importance, but I listened all the same, like a creep, just in case. I hated myself even more for it.

“Are you ready for Brian to get here?” I didn’t need to strain that hard to hear Carina. At least she talked loud. Getting Audrey’s response was going to be harder to pick up until I heard her groan.

“I don’t know, he doesn’t know that he’s staying across the hall from me, which shouldn’t be an issue.”

“It’s not like you’ve spent the night with him before,” Carina agreed. I pressed my ear against the sheetrock even harder. If I could have put my head through it, I probably would have.

What the fuck? She’d never slept in the same bed with him before? They didn’t live together? Who got married after fiveyears of being together without doing those things first? Who was this pussy? I couldn’t wait to meet him. I hated him, but I was going to love what was about to happen next.

Four A.M.and I was Brian’s welcoming party. Ace insisted that he be the one to welcome our new guest but I told him not to worry and get some rest. Unfortunately, he hadn’t listened and he was waiting in the foyer with me.

“Why are you so chipper to meet Brian?” Ace lifted a brow.

“I’m not, I just figured I would let you get some rest.”

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