Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
It was a dangerous door to walk through, and I didn’t want to do it unless I had Orion’s permission to open it.
But he wouldn’t give it.
Even though I knew he wanted to.
And even though he knew I would risk it.
So we just sat there, dancing around the conversation, and pretending we weren’t drowning in awkward.
As for Badr, I thought his closed-offness before was because he hated me. Turned out, it had nothing to do with me. Badr Divan was a closed book locked in a trunk that was chained and dropped into the sea where sharks now guard it on the ocean floor.
I should’ve figured when Paxton told me he spent a whole year with the guy, but didn’t know a damn thing about his friends, family, or his mom. I could confirm that in the two months since we’d been dating, I knew exactly zero about them too.
“So—”
“I—”
We spoke at the same time, cut ourselves off, and laughed.
“Sorry,” I said. “You first.”
“I was wondering if I could take you off-grounds for our date tonight? I know you like to be close to Hope, but I finally found a dinner spot that’s almost as beautiful as you are”—he smiled at me, winking—“and I’d like to take you there.”
“Oh, I— That’s—” I stuttered to force words out of my suddenly dry throat.
The man was tight with the personal details, but I could never say a bad word about his smile. Every time I saw that rare beauty, it stole my breath, rattled my senses, and made me agree with my wolf that I needed to stop being so stubborn, and tear his clothes off already.
I cleared my throat. “Well, when you put it like that,” I mumbled, “I have to see it.”
“Perfect.” Locking eyes with me, Badr took my hand, lifted it to his lips, and placed a soft kiss on my knuckles. “I’ll pick you up at seven.”
I squeaked something in return. Only after he released me to enter the fray and take his turn holding Hope, did I let my wobbly knees drop me on my bed.
Oh, yeah, that’s why I keep going out with him even though he changes the topic if I ask anything personal. Because the man is sex on wheels, and he makes me feel like a silly girl with a celebrity boyband–sized crush whenever he smiles in my direction.
Orion wasn’t going any easier on me either. Every time I made up my mind to tell him we had to do something about the serial killer elephant in the room, he’d tell me how happy he was being with me, Hope, and the guys. How we were the happy perfect family he always wanted, and every day was the best day because he got to spend it with us.
And every time he told me that, my heart melted like caramel ice cream—both our favorite flavor.
How could I be responsible for ruining that? For raking up his trauma just to relieve some underlying tension? I didn’t want to be the one that turned his best days into his worst, because when he found out the truth of what happened between his mother and father... that’s exactly what would happen.
But something’s got to give, don’t you think?
My wolf grumbled in agreement.
How are Orion, Badr, and I supposed to get to love, when we haven’t gotten to trust?
Again, my wolf was me, so she wasn’t an individual being with her own thoughts or voice, and all the same, I was one hundred percent sure she replied, Don’t need either of those things to fuck their dicks till they pop.
I heaved a sigh. You’re no help.
I got nothing but amusement in return.
A knock sounded on the door. Paxton went to open it, letting Nia in.
“Hey, guys.” The woman had twice the number of butterfly clips in her hair than usual. “Hey, Daze, do you have a minute? You remember we gave out our personal numbers to anyone who needs our help and wants to reach us directly? Well, someone contacted me today about something you need to hear.”
The six of us stiffened, sharing grim looks. Even though only three of them were in my mind, I knew we were all thinking the same thing.
The shadow.
“What is it, Nia?”
Nia glanced at the guys. “Would you mind giving us a minute? She was clear that she wanted the high priestess to hear this before anyone else.”
I nodded to the guys, indicating it was okay. It wasn’t like I could hide anything from them. Nyx, Paxton, and Edric had a live feed into my mind.
“We’ll grab lunch and bring it back,” Edric said, setting Hope down in her crib. “Ten minutes.”
“Ten minutes,” I agreed.
They filed out, leaving just the three of us.
“What is it?” I asked immediately, crossing the distance to take Hope’s little hand. “What did they say?”