“Of course. Would you like me to prepare a plate of cold cuts, or maybe I can heat one of our gourmet meals for you?”
“No, thank you. Just the water.”
Natalie nods before excusing herself.
Even if I still had my usual appetite, I’m too nervous to eat anything. I blow out an unsteady breath as I fasten my seatbelt.
“You okay?” Kaiden’s gravelly voice pulls my attention to him. I swear, every time I take in his rugged beauty, it becomes harder to breathe. Those mesmerizing eyes, the curve of his granite jaw, and the soot black lashes fanning over angular cheekbones. He’s the embodiment of all my darkest fantasies and the antithesis of what one would expect a successful businessman to look like. Though, if you told me he was a mafia kingpin, I would one hundred percent believe you with the way his Italian suits mold to his sculpted, tattooed body.
“Yeah. Just a little nervous about flying. Kind of funny I’m twenty-three and this is my first time on a plane, huh?”At least that I remember.
“Is it because of your panic attacks?”
I turn away from his intense gaze to look through the window. “Well, partly. I never knew how I would react, you know. You canalways stop a car on the side of the road, but you can’t exactly ask a pilot to land while you’re thirty thousand feet in the air, can you?” Wringing my hands in my lap, I continue, “But if I’m being honest, it was mostly because my hellseeker duties trumped everything. In all the years I’ve worked for the Order, I never even took the few days of paid leave they give us. Sam invites me yearly on her tropical holidays, but I never go.” A bitter laugh escapes me. “Now I feel stupid because of how much life I’ve missed. It would feel like heaven to be on a beach, sipping on a cocktail, sinking my toes in the hot sand. Taking a swim to cool down in azure waters.”
When Natalie comes back with our drinks, I take it as my cue to shut up and not reveal any more parts of myself to Kaiden. Whenever he’s near, it’s easy to forget his betrayal. Ever since the umbra attack, I feel as though I’ve been thrust into the middle of a never-ending storm, and he has been my life raft. It would be so easy to lean on him again. Especially now that I’m capsizing under giant waves of equal parts guilt and grief. But I can’t.
God, I’m so fucking tired. Not only physically and mentally, but it’s the kind of exhaustion that burrows deep, dismantles beliefs, shakes the foundation, and causes avalanches. Maybe that’s my answer right there: after I resign the Order and am ostracized from everyone I’ve ever known, I can travel the world or move into a small house on the beach. Hell, I might even entertain the idea of getting a dog (definitely not a Chihuahua, though).
Somehow, this doesn’t feel right either. I know myself, and I would get bored eventually. I need a greater purpose. Something that drives me.
The pilot announcing we’re going to take off in the next few minutes pulls me out of my thoughts. I squeeze my eyes so hard I’m sure wrinkles form at the corners with the pressure. My nailsdig into the armrests as the plane taxis off the runway. There’s a shuffling sound, then a warm hand envelops my trembling one. And just like that, my entire body comes alive. I don’t know why I get this giddy at such a simple gesture, but it feels more intimate than him whispering absolute filth in my ear while fucking me as though there’s no tomorrow.
“It’s okay. You’re safe,” Kaiden murmurs, before kissing the side of my head. My pulse scatters.
Dammit. How am I supposed to push him away when he is so sweet?
I’m so lost in my body’s reaction to Kaiden that I don’t even notice we’re already in the air until he tells me. I should pull back and sit elsewhere; there’s plenty of space, but he starts tracing circles in my palm with his thumb. It feels so good that I have to bite my tongue not to let out a content sigh.
I mean, I’ve already let him comfort me tonight. What’s another two hours of handholding until the flight ends, right? I’ll lay down the rules once we land in New Orleans.
The city passesin a blur through the Escalade’s window. Of course, once we landed, the SUV was already waiting on the tarmac. This man thinks of everything. This is the first time in months I don’t feel the usual panic crawling beneath my skin while in a moving vehicle, and I thank my lucky stars. Flying was also unexpectedly easy. I suspect the sexy-as-sin demon tethering me to reality with his touch had something to do withit. Or maybe what happened in the last few hours wreaked enough havoc on my mind that it has reached its limit for torment. It’s kind of a fucked up take on looking at the bright side of things, but I’ll gladly bask in any moment of peace I can get.
Leaning back on the rest, I glance at Kaiden. There’s something so inherently sensual about the way he drives—with an air of arrogant confidence that makes me weak in the knees. Only a few hours in his presence, and my brain is already at the bottom of the gutter. I blink to get rid of the hedonistic thoughts.
Spoiler alert: it doesn’t work.
“So, what’s the plan?” I inquire, breaking the comfortable silence.
“Since the bar is closed, we’ll rest at the hotel until we can leave tonight.”
“’Kay. Don’t get the wrong idea, though.”
“About?” he drawls.
Steeling my spine, I ponder my next words. My tongue is laden as I voice them. “Us. While I’m grateful, the fact that I’ve let you hold and take care of me hasn’t changed anything. I had a few moments of weakness, but I’m better now. Actually, after we find out what the prophecy says, we’redone—for good this time. Promise me you’ll leave me alone.”
He draws in a sharp breath. “Angel—”
The car rolls to a stop, and a valet opens my door. I pour out of my seat as if the Devil himself is nipping at my heels. The sun hasn’t even made its appearance yet, but the air is so muggy it sticks to my lungs like molasses. Still, it’s a nice change from the charged atmosphere in the car.
I throw a hasty “thank you” over my shoulder to the valet before scurrying into the hotel, where my jaw hits the shiny marble floor. The lobby exudes luxury and sophistication in every meticulously crafted detail—from the vaulted glass ceilingto the gilded chandeliers. There’s also a statue of Poseidon smack dab at its center. You would think combining all these elements would have a gaudy and nauseating result. However, they only scream at me that I’m poor in seven different languages because, of course, everything blends harmoniously.
The moment Kaiden walks in, a zing of electricity goes down my spine. His burning gaze slams into mine. His strides are determined—as though he’s a predator cornering its next meal. When he stops in front of me, he mutters, “I wasn’t done speaking.”
“But I was,” I snark.
He dips to rasp in my ear. “You being a brat just makes me want to bend you over my knee and spank that perky ass until it gets your cunt so wet you’ll beg for my cock. Don’t worry, angel, I’m keeping count. And when the time comes to collect, I’ll tie you to my bed for a fucking month.” Kaiden turns on his heel to stalk to the reception, leaving me in a puddle on the pristine floor.
