Page 118 of Marked By the Pack
“Here,” Huxley said and put his hand out for me. “I know how to make you smile again.”
Bennett eased his grip on my hip. He kissed the back of my ear. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “Go.” He lightly slapped my ass and I laughed.
I slid my hand into Huxley’s and he led me away from the other guys.
“I really appreciated you bringing dinner,” he said.
“Well, get used to it.” I smiled up at him. I realized that this was the first time I’d ever been alone with Huxley. We stopped at the edge of the roof and stared out at Main Street down below.
Huxley lightly traced his fingers along the choker he’d given me.
Okay…so I had been looking at Main Street. He’d been looking at me. I turned toward him and placed my hand over his against my throat.
His Adam’s apple rose and fell as he stared down at me.
“So this necklace has some kind of power? To protect me…from Callum?” That’s what Bennett had said. That the necklace would protect me from vampires but not werecats.
Huxley nodded. “The inscription. An ancient blessing to ward off evil. If Callum gets close enough to your neck, he’ll be repulsed by the smell of your blood.”
I laughed. “Repulsed by me, huh?” I dropped my hand.
“I know…hard to believe.” He smiled down at me. “But I hope it’s true.” His fingers traced the inscription on the choker. “And if not…at least the gold looks pretty around your neck.”
I laughed again. “I really like it. Thank you, Huxley.”
“I hope you like this too.” He grabbed a white package wrapped with a red satin bow. I hadn’t seen it perched on the ledge beside him. I’d been too distracted by the view and then him. He placed it in my hands. “Open it.”
“You bought me something else? Huxley, the necklace was already too much.”
“Eh…technically I didn’t buy that necklace.”
I stared at him. The necklace was beautiful. I loved it. But… “Am I going to get arrested if someone sees me wearing it?”
“I don’t think any curators are roaming around this town.”
“Why do you guys steal artifacts?”
“At first we were looking for a cure locked inside one of them. And now…Bennett and Titan believe that if we return stolen treasures from Egypt back to where they belong that maybe we’ll be…freed.”
“So you’ll need this necklace back?”
“No, that’s a minor relic. There are more important ones. Besides, I’m not even convinced anything will work at this point.”
I stared at him. He didn’t believe in a cure either. Why had they all given up? I pressed my lips together. I didn’t want him to think I didn’t accept him just the way he was. Because I did. I cleared my throat. “So this necklace isn’t what you were looking for…but you still took it.”
“It doesn’t belong to them either, Zoey. But this does belong to you.” He tapped the top of the box.
I had a lot more questions about their thievery. But that would probably come out afterIstole fromthem. Secrets of the trade should only be shared between fellow thieves. So instead of questioning my boyfriend who just wanted to lift his curse, I untied the satin bow. I lifted the lid and stared down at the most expensive lingerie set I’d ever owned.
I knew my way around lingerie for my job. And this was quality. The thick bands crisscrossed every which way, mimicking something you’d see on a bondage site. And yet, the fabric was velvety soft. I wouldn’t have been surprised if the circular chains linking everything together were made from pure gold.
“I told you I’d buy you more, princess.”
I was starting to really love that nickname. And him showering me with gifts. A girl could get used to this.
“And this’ll be much harder for me to rip,” he said.
I smiled up at him. “I love it.”
