Page 44 of Sacrifice
"No." I pull back to look at her. "This was inevitable."
"I still hate you."
"I know." I kiss her softly, different from before. "But you're still mine."
"Emil, you should go back home. This. I?—"
"Someone threatened you tonight," I remind her. "Came to your home, touched your property, tried to scare you. You think I'm leaving after that?"
"You can't just stay?—"
"Watch me." I help her down from the counter, steadying her when her legs wobble. "I'm sleeping on your couch. We'll deal with your car in the morning, figure out who did this."
"This doesn't change anything between us."
"Everything," I correct. "It changes everything."
She looks like she wants to argue, but exhaustion is setting in.
The adrenaline crash, the fear, the sex—it's all hitting at once.
"Fine," she concedes. "But just the couch."
"Just the couch," I agree, though we both know I'll end up in her bed before dawn.
She disappears into her room, hopefully to clean up and find something to sleep in.
I pull my jeans up, then do another security check—windows, doors, making sure we're locked down tight.
My phone buzzes.
Magnus.
Magnus:
Runes cleared more men to be on patrols. Prospects are watching her building. You staying tonight?
Me:
Yeah. Someone needs to be here. Soren’s too drunk and too stupid to be of any use right now.
Magnus:
"Someone" sure that's all?
Me:
Fuck off.
Magnus:
That's what I thought. Watch your six.
I pocket the phone and grab a blanket from the hall closet.
The couch is too short for my frame, but I've slept in worse places.
At least here I can hear if anyone tries the door, see if anyone approaches the windows.
