Page 27 of Room Seven

“Aster.” I can’t believe all my dreams of holding her again finally came true.

Because nothing is ever free in our world, no matter how right it feels, I turn a hard look at Mirsha. “Why is she here? What are you not telling us?”

Seven

Aster

“Oh, hell no!”

Viper’s long legs eat up the tarmac and he hauls ass up a short flight of airstairs.

My brain pinwheels.

No. No. NO!

But my hands find white cotton and won’t let go. Viper’s scent floods my nostrils, lungs and then fills my life well.

NO!

I release him and stumble back. I can’t let them touch me. It’s bad enough seeing them. Just the sight of Mirsha’s stocked face, Luther’s kind smile. My gaze lands on the man in the middle. Viper. My godfather usually looks like he always has something wicked going on in his head and that hasn’t changed, I notice.

Oh, this is not good. I can’t be here. I’m still paying off my therapy sessions and I didsooomuch meditative work I could be a guru by now. All that work is for nothing if Viper puts a single finger on me.

I backpedal from the first step and turn on a heel, aiming for the duo team of pilots in the cockpit.

“I told you I wanted to go to New York City!” I unleash an ungodly amount of anger at two smirking assholes doing whatever it is they do to shut down a plane.

“I told you the second we were in the air to disregard my cousin’s orders for New Orleans and head to New York City. Did your compass break?”

The older of the two turns to me with a smile on his face that has my back straightening and my chin rising. Arrogant prick.

“It doesn’t work like that, young lady, and you don’t put money in our bank accounts. Your cousin does. We follow his orders, not yours.”

“Oh, is that so?” My vision flashes red. Want me to pull rank? Got it. I reach for my phone and realize it’s back at my parent’s place on the floor.

Shit.

Warrior blood pumps in my veins and for a second, I channel the goddess Athena. “You know I am going to be the new undertaker, right? I’ll have no less than fifty blood-thirsty runners under my command.” I can come back from telling a few lies, but I can’t if I fall back into the black hole those three put me in. Once I can survive, but letting those three men get their hands on me a second time will end my life. And I know for damn sure none of us will resist temptation for long.

Self-preservation has me desperate to get this bird back in the air.

Mouths fall open and hands shake with fear. “We’re sorry—”

“Stop harassing the poor men. They only did their job.”

Fists balled, I whirl around and come to a full stop when golden eyes pierce my blue ones. Strong fingers curl around my fist and suddenly the anger dissolves.

I can read his intent like a book.

“Viper, please don’t touch me. I can’t, I just…” But the heat of his skin on mine is too irresistible.

Hope and love shine in the swirling molten gold of his gaze. A hand to God, my godfather shatters all those hard-to-build walls around my heart in one breath.

A hard swallow sticks in my throat. I want to throw myself in his arms and just be there for all of time. I don’t care what the world thinks.

I lower my fist. “I didn’t mean for this to happen. If nothing else, you have to know I did not wish to come here.” I cross my hands over my chest and put distance between us. He follows.

“What were my last words to you?” Corners of perfect lips curl in arrogance. He knows what he said and he knows they were nothing but empty syllables.

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