Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 131708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
She took in a shaky breath. “I should really push you away to spare you the consequences of falling—especially when I get the impression that there’s some things you haven’t told me about the curse—but I’m too selfish for that.”
She kissed him. Hard, deep, and slow. She truly should push him away for his own sake, but she just couldn’t find it in her to do it, couldn’t—
Everything went black.
He was gone from her arms. There was no noise. No smells. Nothing to see.
But … she was moving. No, being moved by someone or something.
She opened her mouth to speak, to ask what the fuck was going on, but no words came out.
Finally, her back met something hard and cold. Her arms were wrenched high above her head. Her vision came back to her … and she found herself facing six—
A horn beeped, cutting into her sleep, sending the dreamy images dispersing and making them fade away too fast for her to remember any.
“Some people should not be allowed to drive,” snarked Mia, flipping a finger at a fellow driver.
Ella straightened from her slouch in the front passenger seat. “I fell asleep?”
Her sister spared her a sideways glance as she turned the steering wheel. “Yes. I didn’t wake you, because I figured a nap might do you some good. I had thought you’d take advantage of us having the morning off work to sleep in. Didn’t you?”
Ella rubbed at her face. “No.” She’d spent the extra time with Viper.
“Did you sleep at all last night?”
“Some.” Viper had insisted on it, concerned about how tired she looked. He often did coax her to get some sleep while in his bed, and she always slept better at his clubhouse.
For just over a week, they’d officially shared a bed. Something which showed no signs of stopping anytime soon. Thankfully. Because she didn’t want it to stop. Neither did her demon, who’d grown to like the angel. Or archangel. Whichever.
She’d repeatedly asked if the rumors about him were true, but each time he’d merely given her a mysterious smile. Or he’d said something like, ‘Maybe I’ll tell you one day,’ to which she’d said, ‘And maybe you’re full of shit.’ The dude had secrets for sure. A whole bunch of them.
So often he and his brothers would resort to telepathic communication in front of her. Viper would claim they were simply discussing ‘club business’. That was no doubt sometimes true, but she didn’t think it was always the case.
She wasn’t exactly in a position to push him to spill private stuff, though. It wasn’t like they were a couple. Although … much as they’d agreed to keep things mellow and simple, she couldn’t say that the arrangement centered solely on sex. They didn’t go on dates or make demands of each other, but they’d each spend time at the other’s home sharing a meal, watching TV, and exchanging stories.
She still hadn’t told anyone that they were sleeping together. Only his brothers knew. Several times she’d turned to her sister, tempted to just blurt it out. But the words always got trapped in her throat, and she’d tell herself there was no point in saying anything unless, or until, she and Viper became serious about each other.
Otherwise, where was the sense in it?
It wasn’t as if she generally talked of her flings.
“What were you dreaming about?” asked Mia, pulling Ella out of her contemplations. “You seemed … distressed.”
Ella blinked. “I don’t know. I don’t remember. I rarely remember any of what I dream these days.”
A long, guilt-ridden sigh eased out of her sister. “I really can’t understand why my talisman isn’t working. I’ll make you a stronger one and see if that helps. If it doesn’t, maybe you should reconsider knocking back some sleeping potions. I know you avoid them because you want to be at your sharpest, but you won’t be if you’re tired all the time.”
Point well made.
Ordinarily, Ella would have been resolute on not using them when sleeping beside someone else. But she didn’t believe Viper would ever cause her any harm. Neither did her demon.
It felt strange to be so sure of someone when they were near strangers, but he made her feel safe. Her demon didn’t read him as any kind of threat to Ella.
Not long later, she and Mia were striding through the Underground, passing pedestrians and vendors and various types of premises. The guards that Luka had assigned to Ella—Kasper and Arman—followed them, though they didn’t come too close.
Despite the cacophony of sounds—chatter, laughter, footsteps, music filtering out of windows—she easily heard Mia’s phone ring.
Her sister fished her phone out of her purse, and her brows knitted. “It’s Leif.”
The name rang a bell. “Joe’s best friend?”
“Yeah,” confirmed Mia, slowing to a stop. “Just give me a sec.” She walked into a side alley where there was less noise to take the call.