“Becks,” she said softly against his lips. Coaxing him to relax. She didn’t like his past, the things he’d done, or the things he’d had to endure, but he had been a different person when he went through those things. He was a different man when he was with her. He’d told her his deep dark secrets, and she still wanted him. She still wanted this.
“Little One,” he said. “I did want to tell you—I can get away for your brother’s wedding.”
She reared back, and a broad smile lit up her face. “Really?”
“If you’ll have me.”
She fell into him, wanting nothing more than this moment. She pushed all her emotions into one blissful kiss. Finally, slowly, he relaxed and kissed her back.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Four days later, all she could think about was the wedding and her impending date with Beckham. She knew the mission to scout the camps was happening before the new year. She knew her brothers were going on that mission. She knew there were a million other things that should fill her head, but today, she would be happy.
She stretched and opened her eyes to Christmas morning.
She had forgotten about it in the midst of the wedding planning, but now here it was. Her family had never had much, but they usually managed something. Meghan had helped her pick out things for them this year. But she was blown away when she saw a pile of presents on her desk, including an unusually large black box.
She grabbed her sweats from the floor and dragged them on as she dashed across the room. She surveyed the pile of presents, but her hands trailed to the black box first. On top of it was a single white rose.
Her heart stuttered. Beckham.
She smelled the rose with a sigh and lifted the lid on the box. Her gasp was audible. Her hand went to her throat, and she bit her lip as she lifted her camera out of the box. The note inside read simplyPerspective. The familiar weight of the camera made her feel as if she were holding an old friend. Someone she had desperately missed.
A knock on her door broke her from her reverie. “Come in!”
Jodie stood in the doorway. Reyna brought the camera to eye level and pressed the button. A picture of Jodie, with her perfect dark skin, coily hair, and dismayed expression appeared on the screen.
“Whoa. Fancy camera. Where did that come from?” Jodie asked. “Wait, let me guess—vampire boyfriend?”
“Vampire boyfriend,” she confirmed with a laugh. “Becks got it for me when I was living with him. I used to wander around the city and take pictures of all the things I wanted to change in the world.”
“You’re so dramatic.”
“Pretty much. I figured Visage must have confiscated it because he never brought it back. I guess he was just waiting for the right moment.”
“Makes a perfect Christmas present. This is the first Christmas I’ve celebrated in a long time,” Jodie said with a frown. “I just wish that June was here.”
“Me too.” They hadn’t had any luck locating Jodie’s cousin. Reyna hoped for Jodie’s sake that June was still out there. Jodie had made so much progress; it was amazing to compare who she was now to the fierce, combative person she had been when they had taken her out of Visage. They both had changed a lot. For the better.
“I feel like we’re close,” Jodie said, “but Meghan is distracted with other stuff. That mission thing the guys are going on.”
“Yeah. I wish I could help more.” Reyna reached out and took Jodie’s hand. “I’m sure you’ll have a breakthrough once you have more time.”
“I hope so.” Jodie squeezed Reyna’s fingers and handed her a wrapped gift. “I wanted to give this to you myself.”
“Jodie, you didn’t have to get me anything,” Reyna said. She took it from her and peeled the red paper back. Inside were two books—a slim copy of theComplete Works of John Keatsand Aldous Huxley’sBrave New World.
“They, uh, got me through some dark times. I thought, if anyone would understand, you would.”
“I do. I can’t wait to start them.” Reyna pressed them to her chest.
“Books keep me sane. They transport me to a thousand new worlds. They let me escape into a different reality. A better one than my own.”
“Sometimes we all need to escape.”
Jodie nodded, and an understanding passed between them.
Reyna placed the books next to the camera. Then she linked her arm with Jodie’s and drew her out of the room. She couldn’t imagine Christmas had been a pleasant time for Jodie inside Visage. She hoped today, with presents and a big meal and the wedding, Elle would maybe start to feel like home for the both of them.
