He goes still, all of the terror flooding from him. He lets out a shuddering breath and then meets my gaze, his grimace turning to a small, hopeful smile.
“Say it again, my darling.”
“I love you, Ian. Alpha. Mine.” I nestle into his arms, nuzzle my nose against his, tangle with him until there’s nothing but warmth and softness between us.
He strokes my cheek and kisses me sweetly. “And I love you.”
We doze after that, then make love again. I make pour-over coffee in my little kitchenette, and we read together, reading the occasional passage of interest aloud, and truly, it’s a perfect bliss I had never expected but now don’t know how I could live without.
When dark dreams make him cry out in his sleep, I chase away his demons with sweet kisses, and when his fright subsides, those kisses heat. We turn to each other in the night, find our way to each other in the dim light of my nest, and we love each other until my time runs out.
* * *
He lingers,watching me as I pack.
“I hate that you’ll be under your father’s roof all summer long. Promise you’ll keep in touch?”
“Simon souped up the encryption on my phone and gave me a few signal jammer… things. I’ll call when I can and text if I can’t.”
“Every night.”
“Every night,” I promise. “I actually suspect it’ll be a pretty low-key summer. He has Willow working from home to watch over me, so I doubt I’ll see him much. He’s probably moved into his penthouse for the summer at this point. And while Willow can be cruel, while she’ll resent me for taking her away from her husband, I don’tthinkshe’ll harm me, unless it’s under my father’s orders.”
“That’s what I worry about, my darling.”
I set a few things in my bag and kiss him. “If I’m worried, I’ll call you and I’ll call Hawthorn. I promise. I won’t keep things from you anymore. If I feel unsafe, I’ll tell you.”
He studies me for a moment and then finally nods, pulling me into a hug. “If you think you’ll be bored, I left a stack of books I think you’ll enjoy at the circulation desk in the library—most from my collection, some from theirs. They’ll let you take them for the summer at my insistence.”
“Professor,” I tease, “you’re giving me homework?”
“It’s a present, you menace,” he says, heat in his voice.
And for too many hot, open-mouthed kisses, my packing is forgotten.
* * *
Marcusand I pick up the stack of books and our final Ciel coffees of the school year before heading out, and the campus, dressed in all its summer finery, is nearly impossible to leave behind.
Saints, I’ll miss this place. My friends.
My men.
I’m pensive on the drive back to Rose Manor, more and more homesick for my cottage with every mile.
But it’s only a summer. One lonely summer to pass before I’m back where I truly belong.
I’ve survived so much worse and will survive whatever’s to come.
* * *
“Ah,daughter. Welcome home. Your presence is timely and I’m glad I could catch you before I left. I wanted to speak to you. Meet me in my study once you’ve settled in.”
My father strides off down the hall and I quickly drop my bag in my room, letting our staff empty the town car. I splash a bit of water on my face and quickly touch up my make-up, put on a fresh blouse, and then take the long way around the manor to his office, stopping before the barred doors to the conservatory.
I stare into the charred space, feel the magical charge leaking from the room as it buzzes along my arms, making the fine hairs stand on end.
I saw the past the last time I was in my mother’s old conservatory, but I saw the future too. A mating bite on my hand, between my wrist and my palm, flames surrounding me.
