Page 42 of Shattered Illusion

That doesn’t mean I’m stupid enough to go out without my glamour intact. On the contrary, it won’t leave my neck for a second time. Not after the big reveal in Jasper’s office and what ensued after that.

The last thing I need is another piece of shit claiming me as their mate.

Unless it’s Axel or Luka. I could totally get onboard the mate train with one them.

Choo-choo.

Or they could run a train on me instead.

All aboard!

My eyes widen, and a giggle slips free until I’m full on bent over at the waist, cracking the hell up. Tears leak from my eyes, and a cramp makes my stomach clench from laughing so damn hard. Where the hell did that thought come from? I really need to get these crazy notions under control.

It takes a few moments to finally wrap my head around what my mind is trying to tell me. I’m crushing, and I’m crushing hard. On both of them. While this isn’t my first and most definitely won’t be my last crush, it definitely complicates things.

Luka said he and Axel were friends. And there’s no way I can get in between a friendship like theirs. One that has probably been around longer than I’ve been alive.

I think I’ll need to do what’s best for all of us. Avoid them both from here on out and hope that one day, when I’m out ofthis place, I can find someone—one someone—who makes me feel even a fraction of what I feel for them after such a short period of time.

Ugh. Who am I kidding? That task feels impossible. My mind seems to stray unbidden to each of them. So I’ll just play it by ear, and before things get physical, I’ll tell them. Hopefully, they won’t try to kill each other when they find out.

My phone chirps behind me from where it sits in my bag, pulling me from my tumbling thoughts. I groan as I get to my feet, wishing the infernal thing wasn’t so damn far away.

Once in hand, a smile curves my lips when I see Axel’s name on my screen.

Axel

Hey, cor meum. Hope you’re having a good day in class. I wanted to check up on you and see what your plans are for the weekend.

With a giggle, I change Axel’s name in my phone to match what I think of him before typing out a reply.

Me

Hey, Axe. Class was okay, nothing new to report there. No plans for the weekend either. Why? What’s up?

Yummy Vampire

Shouldn’t you be in class right now?

Skipping classes already, are you?

Why is it that I can imagine him raising his brow at me while tapping his foot and waiting for me to answer?

Me

Yep.

He doesn’t need any more than that. I’m an adult, and if I want to skip class I will.

Me

So about this weekend…

Yummy Vampire

Nice deflection.

I wanted to see if you were free on Saturday, so I can pick you up and take you over to your property. There’s a few papers you need to sign off on in terms of the house, and Luka told me you were looking for books about your kind. Your parents kept an extensive library, so I thought it would be a great place to look.

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