Page 29 of The Book Reader
“I’ve got an evening planned for us. Can you be ready by six?”
It’s early, but I can be. “Yes. Is this a fancy dinner? Or do I need to dress for a kidnapping?”
We both laugh at that.
“Ari?” His voice has that dark, dangerous edge to it. “I want to spend more than a few hours with you, no kidnapping involved. I’ll only tie you up if you beg me to.”
I bite my lip, stopping the moan that wants to escape at his words. I’ve not had sex with anyone in such a long time, and my body is loving everything this man is saying to me.
“You are in Sweetville, correct? If you send me your address, I’ll come and pick you up.”
I dig deep into my body where my lust is holding my voice captive so that I can squeak out: “Darkville.”
He chuckles, and I feel that sound vibrate over my body to land in my pussy, making it squeeze tight in wanting.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, beautiful. Dream of me.” With that, he hangs up. I drop my phone onto the bed and flop down on my pillows as I groan, “Fuck…” How is this my life right now—I have a date with one of the hottest guys I’ve ever seen and I’m also a daemon… maybe.
I roll over and close my eyes. I’ve been more than exhausted with everything that’s going on lately. I sink deeper under the covers, listening to the sounds of Lucy’s voice across the hall. She must have come home early from the club. For a fleeting moment, I wonder who she’s talking to. Mekhi was meant to be working late tonight, but maybe he finished work early, too? I dismiss the thought. Of course, that’s what happened. What else could it be?
I drift into a dreamless sleep, my dream man nowhere to be seen.
He hasn’t been in my dreams for a while now.
Chapter 13
GAELAN
Islip my phone back into the front pocket of my jeans, still gazing up at the large, Gothic-style house. Arianna will be tucked in bed somewhere inside. On the house’s left side, there are huge bay windows framed with black metal. In the middle, a large turret dominates the front of the house, the front door framed by stonework. The right side has another set of large square windows and a conservatory attached to the side. A stunning garden wraps around the front, providing the backdrop for the greenest grass I’ve ever seen.
An energy pulses from entire property, prickling over my skin—a warning of imminent pain if I so much as touch the gate. I can’t see it, but I know what it feels like to be a ward of protection.
There are wards in place here.
Good, she is being protected. I don’t know which room Ari's belongs to. I glance between each window, wanting a little glimpse of her, so that I can reaffirm that she is really here.
My mate is alive.
I’ve watched her walking to work and with her friends, wanting to know more about her in this life. I had to fight theurge to go to her, pull her into my arms, and then whisk us away to my home so that I could keep her all to myself.
I needed to wait.
When her text came through, the relief I felt wash over me was intense. There have been times in the past when I’ve been too late, and I would have to watch her choose to be with another, knowing that she could never fully love them.
She’s always been mine.
My heart would break just the same when she died. I would find her, look down at her peaceful face, and feel a mix of regret and jealousy that I hadn’t gotten to love her in that life.
I just got to lose her.
Macy marked her for death in every life, even the ones I wasn’t a part of.
Sometimes she would make me watch, telling me that if she couldn’t have me, no one else could. She forgets that she never had me to begin with. My heart always belonged to my Rose.
I would tear out my immortal soul if I knew it could save her.
There were other lives in which my Rose would simply vanish, missing for days, weeks, or sometimes months. I would go crazy looking for her, even knowing that it was already too late, that it was only a matter of time before I would find her mutilated body somewhere. Macy’s cruelty had no mercy.
My heart always hoped for a different outcome.
