“But if it gets out, your reputation will be shot,” I say.
“Does it matter?” he asks in frustration. “A few months from now I’m quitting and disappearing.”
“Of course it matters, Cole. You can’t let her get away with this,” I insist.
“So what am I supposed to do about it? Give her what she wants?” he challenges me, and I roll my eyes at him.
“Don’t be daft. You tell your wife, who happens to be Queen of the Underworld, and she goes to kick her arse,” I say, hands on my hips.
“I don’t like that plan,” he says, chewing his lip. “I don’t want you anywhere near her.”
“Why? Worried we will compare notes?” I ask smartly and brace myself for the scathing look that he does, indeed, send my way.
“No, Liv, because I love you and that is something, I am ashamed of. I don’t want it rubbed in your face.”
“Oh, but having it splashed all over the tabloids is a better plan?” I ask, with an eye roll.
He flushes as he takes that in. “Fine, we will both go and talk to her. Maybe if we offer her some money she will go away?” he asks hopefully.
I shrug. Maybe. I am thinking more along the lines of an arse kicking to make her go away. He inches closer to me and I can see he wants reassurance I am not mad at him, so I take him in my arms. He leans down to give me a tentative kiss, and when I respond to him, he pulls me closer. I can feel his erection pushing against me and I jump back like a scalded cat. He looks absolutely distraught and I say, “I’m sorry, Cole. I can’t. Not yet. I can’t. I’m sorry.”
“No!” he says forcefully. “I am sorry, I know you aren’t. I didn’t want anything from you, that just, ah, happens to me when I hold you and kiss you, I can’t help it.”
I feel awful for having denied him, but I am not ready to go there yet. I curse Aelfric and his bloody prophecy, and I hope that Drake, or Sebastian, is giving him a good beating right about now. I don’t really want his head on a platter. Or do I? A small voice in the back of my head asks wickedly, and I shake my head to clear it.
“We will go now to see this woman. Nip this in the bud,” I say to change the subject and give myself an excuse to move to the bathroom to get freshened up and changed. “Message her, tell her you are on your way. Alone,” I add.
He is disappointed that I don’t pursue the conversation. I know he wanted me to say something about when I will be ready or at the very least that it won’t be long. It must be ripping him up inside not being able to be with me, but I just can’t think about that right now. I slink off as he messages that Vampire bitch and I stare at myself in the mirror. I pull all my clothes off, the natural way, and stare at the burns. They are fading now, thankfully. I have long since healed where he tore me and broke my hand, but these for some reason are lingering. A very clear reminder of what happened. Unfortunately, even after they go, I still don’t know when I will be ready. It’s a crazy notion for me. Me, who loves sex and wants it as often as I can get it.
Just not right now.
I turn from my reflection and magick up some clothes. I go for a badass look with a sassy edge. Black leather pants, a black vest top, with a black leather blazer, and sparkly silver Carvela by Kurt Geiger shoes. Yeah, I look hot. I exit the bathroom and Cole’s eyes widen in desire.
“Wow,” he says. “You look amazing.”
“Thanks,” I say with a soft smile.
“Before we go, I want to ask you something,” he says and takes my hand. He pulls me to the bed and sits me down.
“What is it?”
“I just want you to listen for now. You don’t have to answer me today…”
“But…” I say as he stops speaking.
“As your husband, I am asking you to give me some time, just for me, for us. I want you to tell me that you will be with me every night for the next month. Thirty days, just for us.”
I look at him in silence, wondering where to start.
“I know your sire is going to go ballistic, but I am past caring about him and what he will do. I know you love me and that you don’t want to leave me. So just give me this, please,” he says.
We
ll, CK would go ballistic if I told him I wouldn’t be with him for a month, if he wasn’t in the doghouse. He said he would give me time, and this is perfect.
“Yes,” I say to Cole, to his amazement. “I will give you a month. You need me and I need you.”
“But what about Constantine?” he asks, even though he said he didn’t care.