Page 119 of Summoned
Still, I keep my distance. Fear creeps beneath my skin like it did the first time I sensed his presence. Now, it’s not because of him—it’s because of my own decision.
“Maybe I’m making yet another huge mistake by agreeing to talk to you,” I say. “But I’ll lose my mind if I don’t.”
His features twist as if he’s in pain. “Nicole…”
“You were here when my father came, weren’t you?”
He nods. “I couldn’t stay away when I sensed danger. It’s stronger than I am.”
Yes, maybe I am a fool,but the way he looks at me… again. As if he truly cares for me. Such a stark contrast from Branimir’s sweeping gaze. From my father’s burning hatred. From everyone else’s fakeness.
My heart swells with a warmth Ishouldn’tfeel in his presence. Yet, here I am, unable to tear my eyes away from him. “Thank you for not stepping in.”
His features darken. “I would’ve, if you couldn’t handle it. I needed to know you could. For when I’m not around.”
I have to fight the urge to close the distance between us. “You’re really going to lose the game because of me?”
His expression doesn’t even flicker. “I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life.”
I edge toward him. With each step, his heat draws me in closer. His presence is enough to make me lose my bearings. It feels like coming home. “I don’t know what to think about everything you’ve told me…If you lose the game, what does that mean for you?”
Shadows wash over his face, aging him in an instant. “It means I won’t fulfill the condition that would set me free. I won’t gather three hundred harvests without a single loss. And I’ll remain a prisoner of the castle forever. No more contracts. No more harvests.”
“Will you be able to leave it?”
His lips twist with a bitterness I can feel. “No. Unfortunately, no.”
Air suddenly catches in my lungs. “And I’ll never see you again?”
“No onewill ever see me again.” His chest rises with a slow breath.
Time stops as we stare at each other. His words sink in, settle deep, and take root.
Maybe it’s the pressure of time—on me, on both of us. Maybe it’s the collapse of all the illusions I’ve carried my entire life. Or maybe it’s just him…and the way I feel when I’m near him. Whatever it is, it helps me decide. And if I’m wrong, I’d rather burn at the stake than spend my last days on Daria’s couch like some kind of parasite.
“So… what does that make us?”
He stiffens, pupils dilating. “Whatever you want.”
“I…” A shiver runs through me. I’m afraid. I’m also alive. For the first time in days, a light breaks through the darkness inside me. I could be leaping straight into the fire—again—but still… “I’d like to spend some more time with you.”
I see the moment it registers in his eyes that I’m willing to believe him. His face softens, brightens, and he closes the distance between us. He reaches for me, but his hand hesitates in midair. “I missed you,” he says.
I swallow the words pressing against my throat—that these last few days have been the cruelest of my life. That I was given wings, only to have them ripped away, along with half my heart. I can admit this, now, at least to myself.
He closes the remaining distance between us and pulls me into his arms. My body relaxes, melting into him. I breathe in his scent and let his warmth surround me.It feels so good.How can I be this attracted to someone I barely know? He’s so familiar, while most of the people I’ve known my whole life are just strangers.
“Gaetano,” I say against his chest.
“Yes, baroness?”
He’s seen me hurtandstripped of everything. But I haven’t seen enough of him. “Tell me about your family.”
His breath catches, and for a moment he falls silent. Then he leans in. “How about I show you?”
40
Nicole
