He nods after a beat, reluctantly stepping back.
Veda looks at the picture he makes. His hair is a mess, lips pink, and there’s a high flush on his cheeks. Ignoring the tiny scratches on his chest where she unconsciously marked him, Veda hops off the countertop. Her legs are shaky, and her body feels far too warm. She wonders howdisheveled she must look. Hiram’s eyes are on her when she grabs the container of butter chicken and heads for the door.
His hand lands on her waist, stopping her. “Veda?”
“Yeah?” she replies awkwardly.
Contemplation blooms alongside the determination in his eyes. Hiram catches her chin and turns her head to meet his gaze. His thumb brushes over her lips. Instantly, her stomach is in knots. She nearly bites his finger in defense of her self-control.
“Our timing couldn’t be worse.”
That’s not what she expects to hear.
“What?” Her voice is like a shared secret.
Hiram’s fingers scrape against hers. Another spark of warmth searching for a way in. “You’re free to fight this, to fight me. I know you will, but what I refuse to do is live in a delusion of your creation and pretend thatthisis nothing. Think about it. I’ll wait.”
One last kiss seals his promise.
Hiram opens the door as Khadijah pulls into his driveway.
The tingle of his lips on hers lingers all the way home.
Twenty-Four
Two hours later, Hiram wakes abruptly with one word on his breath.
“Shit.”
Hiram knows a runner when he sees one. Veda is predictable, and Hiram has been paying attention to her tells. He knows when she’s ruminating and wonders if kissing her was the right action at the wrong time.
By the time he’s finished dressing, the decision is made. He keeps a packed bag under his bed—a habit from his first escape. He packed a similar bag for Antaris weeks ago. After grabbing snacks for the road, his phone, and his keys, he tosses both bags into the trunk of his car.
Waking Antaris is hard because he’s sleeping so soundly, but Hiram manages it gently. “Let’s go on that little trip I told you about earlier.”
A blanket, his favorite bow tie, and a stuffed rabbit are all his son brings with him. Hiram turns on the automatic cat feeder until he can call Peter to cat sit. Antaris is already dozing again as Hiram pulls out of the driveway, activating the talisman as they leave. The drive slows as Hiram relies on memory to find the right spot. He misses it the first time, realizing he’s gone too far when the river comes into view. But moonlight catches the path the second time.
“Reserare,” Hiram murmurs, uncertain whether the driveway will open to him until it does, the trees peeling back like an invitation.
Floating light illuminates the path, guiding his car through the thick brush until he sees Veda’s house. The outdoor lights glow dimly, andher bike is parked outside. Hiram checks on the still-sleeping Antaris before stepping out and approaching her front door. The talisman hums in welcome.
Inside, a light switches off. Hiram is about to write this entire night off as him coming to the wrong conclusion when the front door opens.
Veda steps out, bag slung over her shoulder. “What thehellare you doing here?”
“I had a feeling you might run.”
“I wasn’t running.” The sharp tension in her doesn’t ease.
“The bag says otherwise.”
Irascible frustration sours her expression. “I couldn’t sleep. So much is happening. If I leave ...”
“It changes nothing.”
“I’m in danger, which means you and Antaris are in danger because of—”
“You don’t have a plan, and Ariadne probably expects you to be impulsive. She’s been two steps ahead this entire time. If you’re going to go somewhere, it needs to be a place she doesn’t know or expect.”
