Page 46 of Stalked

I cracked the door open slowly, but only enough to poke my head out. “You can’t just show up here any time you want,” I said, trying to remain calm.

“Well, if you had picked up the phone, I wouldn’t have had to show up like this.” Caleb snapped back.

He stepped into the doorway and placed his hand on the door, pushing it open so he could walk freely into the house. He wasn’t going to let this go, so I moved out of the way.

“Fine. You’re here. Explain yourself.” I was too tired to deal with the shit Caleb had brought into my life. I looked over my shoulder at Riley, standing in the foyer, looking uncomfortable.

“I’ll explain tonight, but not here. Not in front ofhim.” He gestured his head over at Riley and then looked back at me.

“Riley’s cool. Relax,” I said. “Besides, he knows. I told him everything last night.”

Caleb flared his nostrils. “You shouldn’t have told anyone, Mercy. What were you thinking? I don’t care if he’s your best friend. This life is too dangerous for powerless humans. He’ll never accept this part of you.” He looked over at Riley again as if he were making sure Riley clearly heard his next words. “Unless you want to put his life in danger.”

Riley shot Caleb an icy glare and padded across the hallway and into the family room, taking a seat on the couch. It was clear that Riley wanted nothing to do with the conversation, and I didn’t blame him.

“Tonight, dinner at my aunt’s house in Newport,” Caleb said, drawing my attention back to him. “That’s where I’ve been sleeping since I arrived here a few weeks ago.”

I realized I had never asked him where he lived. I was curious now. “Your aunt? I didn’t know you had family out here,” I said, surprised.

“You’ll like her.” He smiled, cutting through the tension between us. “I’ll pick you up at six.”

So, his“aunt”was either his descendant, or she had also performed an immortal spell on herself.

I’ll find out tonight. I’d better find out everything tonight.

CHAPTER 14

MY DARK DENIMjeans felt snug against my curves as I pulled my red tank top over the waistline, then wrapped my long brown hair into a messy bun. I wasn’t going to dress up for Caleb because it certainly wasn’t a date. The doorbell rang just as the clock struck six.

I opened the door to see Caleb dressed in a black button-down shirt hanging loosely over gray slacks. His hair was a mess from the heavy wind outside, and once he saw me, he ran his hand through it and gave me a charming smirk.

A slight satisfaction hit me, knowing my casual outfit would bother him.

“Please don’t mistake tonight as a date, Caleb,” I said.

“We can make it a date,” he said. “I dressed up and everything.”

He flashed that sexy smile again, and despite how that made my stomach swoop with excitement, I was wary of what he was doing. Caleb was the expert at playing that game of manipulation. If I was going to get any answers out of him tonight, I had to play it craftily, too.

“Mercy, who is it?” Lily shouted from the family room.

I quickly shook my head at Caleb, warning him not to speak.

“It’s Riley. We’re heading to a movie,” I shouted back. “I’ll call you when I’m on my way back.”

Caleb nodded. “You know she’ll give you shit if she knew I was here.”

I hated lying to Lily, but it was the truth. She’d attempt to keep me from going anywhere with him; that was certain.

He held out his hand. “Shall we?”

Rolling my eyes at the gesture, I wrapped my fingers around his, and he escorted me out of the house and into his car.

We drove across the bridge to Newport, past the mansions, and into a gated community.

Okay, wow. Caleb’s aunt is rich.

We hit a fork in the road, turning left through a beautiful garden trail leading up to a castle. The castle looked like something straight out of a fairytale, Victorian style, with century-old gray and red stones. It was several stories high, and even in the car, I felt dwarfed by the looming building.

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