Page 8 of Fae Devoted
Johnnie bit the inside of her cheek to stop her inane chatter.
“I’d like that.”
“You’ll call or at least text me while you’re away?”
“I will,” he said, looping a delicate chain over her head. The pendant settled between her breasts.
“What’s this?” She lifted the necklace to get a better look.
The opposing profiles of two wolf’s heads positioned muzzle to muzzle formed the arches of a heart while a Celtic knot wedged at the bottom created its point. The pendant appeared to be an antique, its silver finish worn and slightly tarnished.
“Happy Majority, Jo.”
The rumbling bass near her ear raised goosebumps on her skin.
“It’s beautiful. Thank you,” she managed after swallowing the lump in her throat.
“You’re welcome.”
“I’ll miss you.” Every. Single. Day. “Is what you need to do dangerous?”
A noncommittal grunt.
“Jacob, promise me you’ll be careful.”
Full lips and short whiskers grazed the skin where the clasp of his gift rested beneath her upswept hair. The sensation gone so quickly she might have imagined it, but Johnnie knew she hadn’t.
Ask me to start the Dance…ask. There’s nothing stopping you now. Ask, dammit.
Breaking her self-imposed rule of waiting for Jacob to make the first move, she turned and placed her palms on the cotton material of his t-shirt. The tendon in his jaw jumped, and the ridged muscles of his abdomen tightened beneath her fingertips, but he didn’t move away.
She rested the side of her face over his heart, lulled by its comforting beat. “Please promise me.”
A sigh escaped him, tense muscles relaxing under her cheek. He lifted a hand to cup her gathered hair, and she tilted her chin to meet eyes tinted wolf-yellow. Jacob’s gaze dropped to her lips, and his head slowly lowered. Johnnie’s pulse rate skyrocketed.
“Johnnie,” Abby shouted from the level below, her attention on her feet as she climbed the steeps steps. Samuel was right behind her, carrying a huge box tied with a bow.
Jacob stiffened at the interruption. His arms dropped to his sides, and he straightened to his full height. Well over six feet, he towered above Johnnie’s five-foot-nine…including the heels. Taking a step backward, Jacob shoved his hands deep in his pockets and greeted his Alpha’s mate.
Johnnie felt bone-deep disappointment but plastered on a smile for her friend.
“I thought I’d missed you.” Abby’s cute pixie face was devoid of makeup, her long white-blond hair tied into a sloppy ponytail,a baggy t-shirt that smelled like Samuel covering her jeans almost to the knee.
“What’s wrong?” The Abby MacCarthy she knew never went anywhere without being a hundred percent pulled together. If she hadn’t been wearing her standard sky-high shoes, Johnnie would be bracing for news of a death, or at the minimum, a natural disaster.
“Nothing.” She glared at the Alpha. “Someone didn’t wake me up in time for the party.”
“You needed the rest.” Samuel shrugged, unrepentant.
Abby had been through a lot since coming to the island a few months ago. She’d survived an assassination attempt on the queen, a mugging at gunpoint, a high-profile new job, and the added responsibilities that came with mating a Ferwyn Clan príoh.
“It’s okay. You brought me a cake with candles on my actual birthday.”
“But I wanted to be here for the majority celebration. I know it’s a big deal.” She snatched the present from the Alpha’s hands and almost dropped it.
They all made a grab for the falling package. Jacob was faster than Johnnie and had a better angle than Samuel, catching it before it hit the ground.
“Crap, I forgot how heavy it was.” Abby’s cheeks went pink, the hazy blue lighting of the club emphasizing the purple smudges underscoring her eyes. She looked exhausted. It was no wonder the Alpha let her sleep.
