Page 124

“Close your eyes, Astra. Trust me.”

I scoff. I definitely don’t. I’ve been thinking about this drive into the strip since we left.

But maybe he’s got something better planned, so I shut my eyes. And I keep them shut, ignoring the urge to peek, until the sun leaves our faces. The truck tilts down, bumping and curving, and he finally stops us.

“Okay,” he says.

We’re in a… parking garage.

I scowl.

He laughs and climbs out, and I follow. He makes quick work consolidating our two bags into one. He keeps touching all my stuff. I know he’s added things to it, too. And somewhere along the way, I lost track of the pouch of stones from my mother.

Maybe they’re in the bag. I don’t know.

I watch him until I feel weird about it. There’s only so much I can study him while he handles my underwear before he catches on.

It’s unfair that he’s so hot. And kissable. I don’t understand our chemistry. The way we’re always drawn together. I’m so… ordinary. Basic witch. Plain features. A soft—and that’s being generous—figure. He’s the opposite. Handsome to the point of being a pain in the ass about it. He may as well be carved from stone, with not an inch of fat on him.

If he were human, he’d have already found a girl and married her.

That stings.

Deep down, I know there are two things that made Kian come for me time and again. The first is his twisted logic that I can help him with the curse. And the second is the mate bond. It’s not my face or my power or my personality. It’s outside forces and his stubbornness.

“I don’t like your expression,” he murmurs. “Something troubling you?”

“You are,” I grumble.

He pauses. “Astra.”

“I…” I sigh. “No, I didn’t mean it like that. I just mean, I don’t know. I’m still a little confused as to why you’re giving me the time of day. Besides this.” I wave my hand at my Mark, then freeze.

Shit.

I forgot. I almost walked out on the street with my Mark in full view.

I hold out my free hand for the bag. “I need that.”

“No you don’t.”

“Yes I fucking do. In a city full of people? I’m not walking out of here like this⁠—”

He growls and grips my throat. I yelp in surprise as he walks me backward, and I can’t see where he’s taking me until he has me pressed to a concrete column.

“I’m not sure what I need to say to convince you that you were made for me, little nightmare.” His gaze drops to my lips. “That means your temptress body. Your mind. Everything down to your soul.”

I close my eyes. His hand at my throat is capturing my heartbeat—but I’m sure he can hear it, too. It’s pounding out of control.

“I need a stone for a concealment charm,” I admit. My eyes are still fucking closed like a baby.

Maybe that’s why I don’t try to avoid his kiss. I don’t see it coming.

Except—I knew it was coming. It’s why I closed my eyes in the first place.

His lips touch mine, and sparks run under my skin. He licks at the seam of my lips, and I open for him. His tongue slides into my mouth. I moan at the contact, bringing my hands up and fisting the front of his shirt.

He coaxes my tongue to spar with his. I push his out of my mouth and into his, following, and explore his mouth. The ache between my legs increases, and we’re only kissing. I nip his lower lip, tugging it between my teeth.