Dad nodded. “Yell, if you need anything. More help will come soon to get you home.”
I nodded and went back to my room.
I sat in the corner and bawled my eyes out. How on earth was I going to be happy with a beast when I only wanted a guy? One who might not even like me. I should’ve never fallen for him. It was way too good to be true, from the beginning. This was my fault, not his. He was only doing his job, his mission.
I plugged the buds into my ears, and Chris crooned the words to “Fix You”again.
18
BLAKE
Ilanded around six in the morning at a park that has silver loafs of cars covering the entire property.
I frowned as my eyes skidded to chairs and man made fires with tables on the sides of the loafs. They had doors. Was it some sort of a home.
At one silver loaf vehicle was a washing line and I grabbed a pair of jeans with a shirt that looked like it might fit. I put the jeans and shirt on and rushed to the exit.
I entered the city. The traffic was bumper to bumper, honking and hooting. All sorts of smells irritated my nostrils. Pollution, a car’s exhaust, freshly brewed coffee.
Colorful graffiti against one building grabbed my attention as I turned left on the corner of the street. I passed a light pole papered with flyers, and the first coffeehouse’s welcoming sign flashed green.
A lot of woman stared at me and I put the hoodie over my head as I stopped with a group of people at a traffic light, waiting for the green. All the noises worked on my nerves as I looked at the top of the buildings. The sun glistened off some windows at the top.
A few blocks further and the organization rose up into the sky in front of me. I entered the building, and it was busy for this time of the morning.
Chlorine, a smoky scent, and a gassy smell caressed my nostrils. The strong acid that lingered on Night Villains hit me full blast and my eyes landed on the guy with the black hair, working the copy machine.
Massive windows that ran floor to ceiling radiated light on the gleaming marble and granite wall panels.
A long front desk took up one side of the wall as a lady with fiery red hair spoke over a telephone. Behind her, a tasteful water-wall feature with fluorescent blue light gave that welcoming feeling.
I walked to reception and waited for the woman with the red hair to get off the phone. I breathed in her essence. Human. She almost fooled me. The cold, polished granite caressed my palms as I rested against the marble top.
“Not a problem. I’ll give him the message. Bye now.” She put the phone down and looked at me. Her eyes slightly widened as she released a mixture of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Her lips curved into a grin. “May I help you?”
“I’m here to see Matt Rollings.”
“Who, may I say, is waiting?” She picked up the receiver of the phone.
“An old friend.”
She looked at me.
“Tell him it’s urgent, Paegeia business.”
“Oh, okay. I want to say you look a bit out of place.” She playfully narrowed her eyes as she put the receiver against her ear. “Mr. Rollings, there is a dashing young man who said he is a friend, and it’s of high importance that you come see him.”
Silence lingered before a giggle escaped her lips. “Fine, I’ll tell him.” She put the phone down. “He’ll be down in a few minutes, you might want to take a seat.”
“Thanks.”
I walked over to the spacious sitting area. The white leather designer couches were a bit pushing it. Dark, heavy coffee tables with stacks of magazines on top broke the whiteness of this place.
My eyes roamed over the artwork that hung from the wall and I almost did a double take as I saw a painting of the castle in Tith.
The murmur of voices coming from reception and the squeaking of shoes on the marble floor put me on edge. The chime of the elevator sounded in my ear as I picked up a magazine, but didn’t register a thing that I read. I kept hearing Elena’s crying. What was our life going to be like? The bond might never heal properly.
She might not even like me after this.
