He trailed off and the air turned chilly. I wasn’t sure if it was reacting to Jesse’s energy, or if it was just a random weather change, but it was eerie all the same.
“What?” I said. “If you need something from me, I’ll do my best to give it.”
“Kiss me,” he said.
Whatthefuck?
“Jess…” I started and he held his hands up, huge palms, water dripping down them to the water below.
“One kiss. I just want you to know for sure, to experience this with both of us, and make the most informed decision. I mean, how can you truly know without ever kissing me?”
His lips twitched then and a gust of air left me as I lunged forward and punched him. “You fucker. You legit had me going for a second there.”
Jesse threw his head back and laughed and I sent a plume of water into his face.
“I knew letting you watchTwilightwas a bad idea,” I grumbled.
His grin was large and genuine and something relaxed inside of me. “I’d never do that to you or Asher,” Jesse said, scrunching his eyebrows. “I might have been team shifter for most of the movie, but that guy was a selfish fuck when he put that on Bella.”
It amused me to no end that he was a secret Twihard.
“So … we’re okay?”
Jesse nodded, some darkness filtering back in the green depths of his eyes. “I’m working on the okay thing, but I promise not to keep acting like a prepubescent kid that didn’t get his favorite toy.”
Stepping forward, I grabbed his hand. “And I promise to stop being so insensitive to your feelings. You’re one of the best people in the world, and you’re going to make some chick very happy one day.”
He hugged me. Tight and hard, but only for a second, before he was diving under the water again, swimming like he could outrun his demons that way.
If only it was that easy.
Chapter 11
As reluctant as I was to leave the water, I decided not to intrude on Jesse’s time any longer. If I wanted us to find our way back to a better place, I had to do my part as well. I had no idea what Asher would say about us toning down our affection in public, but he loved his brother, so hopefully he’d at least try.
Life was complicated.
Just as I was sliding back into my jeans, I felt a ripple of power, and since it wasn’t the first time I’d felt it, I gritted my teeth and made my way around the side of the pool to where Sonaris waited.
“Thought I might have gotten rid of you,” I said in greeting. “Haven’t seen you for a while. It was nice.”
He grinned, not even remotely deterred by my prickly comments. As he straightened from where he was leaning against the wall, I noted that he looked particularly put together tonight, wearing a black dress shirt and pants, hair perfectly styled.
“We’re bound, my little princess,” Sonaris said with a drawl. If I was anyone else, that power and tone in his voice might have sent a shiver down my spine, but I’d been around Atlanteans for two years now and I was somewhat immune. “You’ll never get rid of me.”
“Famous last words,” I spat, because it had already been an emotionally fucked day and the last thing I wanted to be dealing with was this absolute tosspot of a cocksmoker.
“We should swim,” he said suddenly, and it was completely my own fault that I wasn’t prepared for him when he snapped his hand out and grabbed on to mine. In seconds, he zipped us away from the Academy, using that instant transmission way of travelling only the gods could do. And it was fucking annoying.
I had no idea where we were, but it was daylight here, and we were on a picturesque beach with palm trees and crystal-clear waters.
“I like your hair,” Sonaris said. “It’s almost fitting that this year you chose my favorite color.”
“Take me back. Now,” I bit out.
He shook his head and I reached for my magic, ready to both kick his ass and open a step-through to get me home. “You don’t own me,” I said, my voice deeper than usual as power swirled through me. “Tell me right this second what the favor is, or don’t come near me until you’re ready for it to be fulfilled.”
Fucker was always smiling. I didn’t like it. I didn’t trust him. There was something about Sonaris that stirred my senses in the worst way. It reminded me of when I thought I was human, and I’d be walking somewhere late at night, somewhere dangerous, and every hair on my arms would be standing up. Because I knew I was in trouble. I knew evil lurked around me. Sonaris was the evil, I just hadn’t figured out his plan yet.
