Page 337 of Blood & Betrayals

I laugh, looking up at him.

“It’s still my favorite, though,” Connor says.

“Well,you’remy favorite,” I counter, and Connor leans down to kiss me deeply.

When he breaks the kiss, I look up at him and cup his cheek. “Con?”

“Yeah?” Connor says, stroking my stomach with his thumb.

“You’ll love me forever, right?”

Connor smiles. “Even longer than that.”

“Thank you for offering me a sandwich that first night.”

Connors’ gaze softens even more. “Thank you for giving me a second chance after my brothers almost ruined everything.”

“Thank you for loving me like you do,” I whisper, and Connor kisses me again, this one soft and warm. “Let’s go to Eden this weekend? We can help your mom plan the wedding and see your new apartment!”

“Ournew apartment and I’d love that.”

“I got you a housewarming gift,” I say with a grin.

“You did?” Connor asks, tilting his head.

“Wanna see it?”

“Of course!” Connor says, his skin glowing a little brighter.

I climb out of bed fully naked and grab my bag, pulling out a box. I slip back into bed and hand it to him. Connor tears into the gift, his eyes widening when he sees the framed photo of us. It’s our engagement photo that Alice took.

“It’s perfect,” Connor says, brushing his fingers over the date engraved into the frame, his voice full of emotion.

“You like it?” I ask.

Connor nods, his eyes misty. “It’s perfect. Our first picture for our new place.”

I grin, kissing him deeply.

Connor smiles. “It’ll look perfect with our wedding photos next to it. My pre-wife.”

I run my fingers through his hair. “Pre-husband.”

Connor props the photo on the bedside table, and we lie down, looking at each other. I’m not sure how long we lie there, but when I eventually fall asleep, I sleep, knowing I have never been loved like this.

122

Summer

Iwake wrapped in Connor’s warm, heavy limbs, and I try to stretch while entangled in him. His lips are slightly parted, and his eyes twitch a little, but he doesn’t wake. I smile and brush my lips over his before climbing out of the bed.

I pull on my gym clothes and weigh the danger of going out alone. The memory of how those eyes felt on me yesterday sends prickles of fear skipping over my skin. The emotion is almost familiar, as if the sensation is becoming a part of me, but I can’t spend my life living in fear. I can’t hide from the shadows. Plus, if they get me… then they might leave Connor alone. I shake my head, pushing away that thought and considering my options.

Fuck it. They’re just toying with me. This is what they want, the sadistic bastards.

I glance at the dagger sitting on Connor’s desk. Recently, I’ve been getting worse about wearing it, which is stupid considering the danger has only increased. I strap the black leather sheath to my leg before slipping the dagger into it. Grabbing my water bottle, I leave his room and push into a light jog when I leave the house. The slight chill in the air nips at my bare legs and singesmy lungs. The sun is rising over the campus, and the spring flowers are starting to bloom, giving the campus an air of new beginnings.

I focus on my steady breaths and the rhythmic way my feet hit the ground as I run, relaxing into the exercise. The pendant starts to warm, and I stop, clutching the stone in my fist as it vibrates. It hasn’t done this for a long time. Fear rises like bile in my throat, and I open my mouth to cry for help. I take one step toward the gym that I can see in the distance, but pain explodes through my head, and everything goes black.

---