Page 252 of Caelum

Eve… the temptress.

Her name was more ironic than she even realized.

With the light behind her? Was it any wonder my cock stood to attention?

She nestled into my side the second we both sat down, and though I was tempted to switch on the TV to avert her focus, I didn’t.

This time was precious. Rare. I wasn’t about to waste it with distractions, even if I didn’t like what she wanted to talk about.

“Don’t you hate where you’re from?” I asked her.

I could almost hear the cogs whirling in her head. “I guess. Mostly not though. I don’t even think of my parents, which is very sad.”

Yeah. It was, but… “They were going to marry you off to an old creep, Eve. They aren’t people you want to miss.”

“Maybe. I just don’t like the idea that I can cut people out of my life and not even miss them.”

“I don’t think you’ve had time to miss them. We’ve been pretty busy.”

“Seeing Samuel…” She sighed. “He’s so vigilant with his family.”

“Yeah, because he’s obsessive, Eve. Plus, he’s like Eren—constantly sleep-deprived. He has time to do that shit.” I didn’t like the idea of her pulling herself to pieces over the people who were supposed to have protected her but hadn’t.

“I just meant I wish I cared. I feel very little connection to my family. Almost like I was a cuckoo born in another’s nest.”

“Because you were,” I told her softly, reaching for her hand and placing it on my lap. Squeezing her fingers, I assured her, “You’re holding up so well, Eve. I’m so proud of you.”

She gulped. “You are?”

After staring at our entwined palms, her so pale, me so dark, I turned my head to the side. “I am.”

Her free hand cupped my cheek. “Thank you. You know I’m proud of you?”

“What’s to be proud of?” I shrugged.

“You embraced the other Pack without fuss, Stefan. Not many men would do that.”

“That’s because they don’t have a woman who needs seven men to keep her safe,” I teased, laughing at her blush. Rocking my head back against the sofa’s headrest, I carried on, “I’m being expedient,draga mea.”

“Expedient?” She hummed, but her eyes flickered with warmth at my endearment. “What does that mean?”

“Expedient?” I teased, “I thought with the whole photographic memory?—”

She huffed. “You know what I’m asking.”

“My darling. It’s kind of old-fashioned, but I figure you are too. It suits you.” My throat felt thick, even though I’d tried to lighten things up by teasing her.

“I’m going to take that as a compliment,” she whispered, her eyes darkening as they stared into mine.

“It was meant as one.”

Both our heads were now resting on the cushion, and we were so close that our breath mingled. It felt good. Right.

“I’m lucky,” she whispered. “To have you all. To keep me safe. I hate that I’m taking you somewhere that makes you feel the opposite.”

I shook my head. “We all have a destiny to fulfil, Eve. Whether you like it or not, you were born for this path, and even after everything I went through, my path was always going to take me back to that place.”

She tilted her head so that half her cheek rested against my shoulder, and the connection felt easy. So simple. Like inhaling and exhaling. I wasn’t right for her. I was stained and tarnished with the things I’d done in my past, and yet, my words had been true—our destiny was tied together.

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