“You say you want me to stay, but you do and say everything to push me away.”
His smile faded away. “I’m sorry for teasing you,” he said surprising us both. I’d never known Angel to be contrite.
“You should know teasing me won’t get you back in my pants.”
“And do you want me in your pants?” His voice was deeper now. Lower. Huskier.
“Isn’t that why you don’t want to let me go? So you can fuck me at your leisure?”
“Pussy doesn’t move me.” His laugh was condescending. “I have women a hell of a lot more experienced than you willing to fuck me at my leisure.”
My cheeks heated. I was mortified and didn’t want to let it show, but I couldn’t help but look away. “Then why the obsession,” I whispered to the window.
“You tell me. It was you who cast the spell nine years ago. Not the other way around.”
“Believe me, if I knew how to break it, I would.”
“You know. You tried. You failed.” His words brought my gaze back to him.
He was talking about death. Only death could break the spell. The memory of the moment I plunged that knife inside him replayed, and I knew I could never rip my soul out again to be free of him.
“I don’t need to kill you. I’m sure someone will do my dirty work.” I didn’t tell him the thought of him dead made it hard to breathe.
“You sure you want me dead?”
“You framed my father.”
“Fuck your father,” he coolly replied. “Do you want me dead?”
“When you say things like that? Yeah… I do.”
I wasn’t expecting his arm to whip out and wrap around my waist. He pulled me close until I was buried into his side. “You don’t belong to your father anymore. Your loyalty should be with me.”
“We shouldn’t be married. What was my father thinking?” I groaned.
“He was thinking he could protect you by giving you to me.”
“Then why am I more afraid than ever?”
“Because you aren’t afraid of dying. You’re afraid of falling.”
For him.
I hated him for being right.
I was afraid of falling for him all over again. “How can you expect me to love a monster?”
His smile drove a blade through my heart. “You become one.”
Because loving him, staying with him willingly and wholly meant giving up my soul.* * *I’d fallen asleep with my head resting on Angel’s shoulder and had woken up with my head in his lap and his strong fingers stroking my hair softly.
“You’re awake.” His fingers stopped moving through my hair. “Good.”
I lifted my body slowly and stretched as best I could in the seat. I was aware of Angel’s steady gaze. “How long have I been asleep?” I took a look around and realized we were parked in a driveway that could easily fit three cars. “Where are we?”
“You’ve been asleep two hours. We arrived thirty minutes ago.”
“Thirty? Why didn’t you wake me?”
He glanced away and murmured, “I think you needed it.” He seemed distant, but I chose to ignore it and stretched one more time. “Ready?” He was watching me again.
“Do I have a choice?”
“There’s just one more thing,” he answered slowly. I watched as he reached inside his suit jacket and pulled out a little blue box. The same little blue box that had been delivered to me three years ago. “I was planning to take you to dinner and—” He couldn’t seem to bring himself to finish. Slowly, he lifted my trembling hand and gently slipped the ring on my finger.
“Is this why you’re dressed in a suit?” I remember the first time I laid eyes on him after three years. He had been in a suit then too, playing the part of a high-class criminal.
He didn’t answer, and again, I wondered about his mood as he stepped out of the SUV and into the setting sun. His hand reappeared, and I slid mine, now adorned with his ring, into his warm palm allowing him to help me from the car. For once, his gaze wasn’t attached to me. He was avoiding me. Looking up, I admired the two-story home constructed of A-lines, stone, and brick. It was modest compared to the estate and reminded me of the homes I once shared with my parents so long ago.
“Who lives here?” I questioned to distract myself from his hand that had fallen on the small of my back. “My aunt lives here with her family.”
We climbed the brick stairs to the front porch. “How close is this aunt to you?”
“She’s my father’s sister.”
Now that stumped me. “You never mentioned her.”
“I make a habit not to talk about my family since it’s my job to keep them protected.”
He rang the doorbell, and a second later, the door opened revealing a girl no more than a couple years younger than me who must have been waiting by the door. She had long brown hair, a heart shaped face, and blue eyes that sparkled. I recognized her from the funeral but had never learned her name.