Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 84072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
The table was only three feet tall. A fall like that? Wouldn’t even give a toddler a bruise on their knees, let alone an almost nineteen-year-old in her prime.
And yet it had.
A cruel universe existed in that library between each of those kisses, and each of them led down a path of darkness and destruction.
The library went suddenly cold and dark as the flame in the fireplace completely disappeared, replaced with a chill, reminding me that I wasn’t all warmth and happiness.
But the darkness itself.
The reason for her pain.
The reason for her upcoming death.
I had nobody to blame but myself.
But to see her in Aengus’s arms? I would damn her, wouldn’t I? Because to me, losing her to another man was almost a fate worse than death.
Which was why I was the darkness in this scenario.
I was the devil himself.
Because I would risk it all just to make sure she was never his.
I still couldn’t find the strength to let her go as I helped her in the car and drove her straight to the emergency room.
One day I would drive her here and drive home alone.
Blood covering my hands.
Tears streaming down my face.
I gripped the steering wheel.
I had to find a way to break this.
I had to.
The only other choice was filled with so much pain I had trouble breathing.
“You’re going to be okay,” I whispered.
“Benjamin.” She gave me a feeble smile. “It’s just a broken arm. I’ll be fine.”
How wrong she was.
How very wrong.
Chapter Fifteen
Luna
After Benjamin paid for my ER visit despite my protests, he stopped at one of the local pubs, bought us food to go, and went with me to the bookstore.
Since I was tired from the drugs they gave me, I just wanted to grab a good book and go back to the inn.
The only problem? He didn’t want me going anywhere without him and was constantly looking over his shoulder like the boogie man was going to pop out and yell boo. His mood had shifted. Then again, I shouldn’t be surprised; he was a delicious puzzle of lust, anger, and sadness.
Sarah was still there when we pulled up later that evening, she would be closing in a few minutes, and of course, Malcom was there, reading in the corner, watching her when she didn’t think he was.
“Oh no!” Sarah ran toward me once Benjamin opened the door, the bell giving us away. “What happened to you?”
“Got in a fight with a table. Lost.” I laughed. “It’s really not serious.”
Benjamin growled next to me, his hands flexing into fists by my side as if he blamed himself, which was ridiculous. I mean, we both got lost in the moment; it wasn’t his fault I was clumsy. Though in the back of my mind I wondered how perfect I had to have landed to have such a compound break when it hadn’t even hurt any other part of my body.
“Behave,” I teased. “It’s not.”
Sarah eyed Benjamin wearily, taking a step back before going behind the counter. “Well, I’m glad you’re all right.”
Benjamin was careful not to touch me, but it didn’t matter, I could feel the heat from his body pulsing in the air around me like a living, breathing thing.
“I really am good.” I smiled.
The bell made another sound.
“Sarah, why do you even have a cell phone if you refuse to answer it and— Oh hello, Benjamin.” The woman was probably in her late twenties or early thirties, with dark hair and brown eyes; she was in a smart-looking black jumpsuit and had a nice full mouth that seemed to be sending invites Benjamin’s way. “Nice to see you here. And you?” Her hateful eyes found mine and went blank. “Who are you?”
“Luna,” I held out my good hand. “I’m just visiting for a while.”
“Ah, I see. Fresh meat.
I grimaced. “Sort of, yeah, but Benjamin’s already given me all the warnings.”
“Oh…” Her smile was brittle. “I’m sure he has.”
Benjamin cleared his throat like he was annoyed and trying to get her to go away. “Something you needed, Mayor?”
Mayor?
I shuddered. She seemed like the coldest person on the planet, especially when I could still feel Benjamin’s heat. If he noticed that I was leaning into him, he didn’t move… just let me stand there, soaking up what felt like sunshine coming off his body.
“Actually,” she said as she peered around us, “I just needed my daughter to answer her phone for once in her life and confirm the booth for the taffy festival.”
Sarah groaned. “Mommmmmmm, it’s so lame!”
The mayor’s eyes narrowed into tiny slits. “It brings in a lot of money, it’s not lame, and you’re still grounded after that boy climbed into your window and— For the love of gods, there he is.” She glared in his direction while Malcom pretended to ignore her as he slowly turned the page.