Page 70 of Crimson Storm

“Why did you do that?”

He lifted a sardonic brow. “You really have to ask?”

“You said you were content with being just friends.”

“‘Content’ is a strong word for it,” he said. “‘Resigned’ is more like it. Go do what you have to do. And when you come back, Abigail, I think we should give it a shot.”

From the doorway, Reece barked, “Time’s up. We need to go.”

I looked from his angry violet eyes to Shane’s sincere brown ones. “Goodbye—for now. Iwillcome back and free you.”

“I’d rather you came back and kept me.” He smiled. “Be safe. I’ll be waiting.”

* * *

After walkingin silence for several minutes through the caverns, Reece finally spoke. His tone was dark. And accusatory.

“So youareinterested in him.”

I wasn’t. But Iwasinterested in Reece’s reaction to Shane kissing me. He was not acting like someone who didn’t care.

“What does it matter to you?” I challenged. “You knew when you joined the Bloodbound, I’d find someone else eventually. Or did you think I’d stay alone forever, pining away for you?”

If hehadassumed that, he would have been right, but I wasn’t going to tell him that.

He shot me a sullen look. “No. Butthatguy? Really? A human?”

“I work for the Vampire-Human Coalition,” I said as if that explained everything. “We’re all about vampires and humans getting along.”

With another harumphing noise, he turned away. “Thereisno Vampire-Human Coalition anymore.”

Noticing our surroundings, I realized we were heading for the throne room again. “I thought you were in a hurry to leave.”

“I am. But Imogen wants to speak with you first.”

“What about?” Panic raised the timbre of my voice and made my knees nearly too stiff to walk. I’d thought I was done with Imogen—at least for a while.

“I’m not sure. In spite of your accusation that we’re ‘close,’ she rarely explains herself to me,” Reece drawled.

No, she’s too busy jumping your bones.

The thought of the two of them together filled my soul with bitterness. I couldn’t keep it from spilling over into my voice.

“So how many Bloodbound is yourqueensending along to protect her ‘favorite soldier?’”

He shot me a look of bitter annoyance. “None.”

Suddenly there seemed to be no air in the cavern. The pulse point in the side of my neck started tapping.

“It’s just the two of us?” I wheezed.

“Yep. A happy little couple on a cross-country vacation.”

His tone oozed sarcasm. We weren’t a couple anymore, and we were far from happy.

But I was struck by the fact that destiny had brought us together again. At the beginning of this week, I had been on the opposite side of the country with no thought of ever coming back to this place—or to him. And now here we were together, preparing to embark on a journey together.

Just the two of us.

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