Gravity (25 page)

one flicker of reluctance, he would have backed away.

Page watched his mouth instead of his eyes and it didn’t look like she had taken a breath. Her

eyes were so rich and dark that they ensnared him, drawing him into their mysterious depths. He

noticed a tiny mark near the corner of her eye, and her upper lip had a pronounced Cupid’s bow.

She trembled against him.

“Cold?” he asked, immediately adjusting his body temperature to warm her.

Justus didn’t like to be touched. He tolerated sexual advances, but affectionate gestures were

out. Page kept her hands to herself, and something about that bothered him… because he wanted

her to touch him.

The moment their lips joined, a surge of power rushed through so many nerve endings that he

stiffened. So much softer than he remembered and Justus broke contact, afraid that his power

wasn’t quite in check.

Page began to babble nervously. “Oh, I forgot to mention that the blood that I—”

Justus cut her off with a passion-filled kiss. Wet. Soft. Tender.

He placed the flat of his hands against the wall, stroking his tongue against hers—coaxing her

to do the same. And she did. Desire ached at the base of his spine when the kiss deepened.

The entire kitchen could have been set on fire from the heat licking off him, but Page didn’t

back away as many women did at the sudden increase in his body temperature. In fact, she

leaned in closer. His energy was under control, but his hands never floated south. Page was a

woman of virtue, and only the scum of the earth would wipe his hands on her like a dirty dishrag.

“Justus, wait. Stop.”

He stumbled back and tipped over a chair. Panic seared him like a third-degree burn; he should

have never pushed her. “Apologies. I should leave.”

“No, wait. It’s not you. I’m just not used to feeling so…”

Adored?

“I don’t know how to act with you, Justus. I can’t figure out why you keep coming around,

especially after seeing me so sick. I’m not…” She struggled with a thought before shaking her

head. “I’m a Relic. You’re a Mage.”

He stepped forward until they were inches apart. “I’m a man. You’re a woman.”

“But I’m not like those women,” she said, pointing to the side as if one might appear in the

room. “This is me; this is all that I am.”

Justus wasn’t about to have this woman spend another second thinking that she was anything

less than the luster of a diamond.

“You have a brilliant light that is unparalleled by any Mage. You shine. If men have not treated

you well, it’s because they were blind. You are… radiant,” he said in a voice that fell to a breath.

Justus dipped his head low so that he spoke against her temple. “We’re different, but we’re not so

different. I feel a connection with you, Page. One I’ve never felt with a woman before. You intrigue

me, and it has nothing to do with the immunity you possess. I had a dream you were standing on

the edge of the earth, and I have this feeling even now that you might step off and I’ll lose you. If

a kiss is all I’m allowed, then it is all that I deserve. Oh, mon ange,” he whispered in a rough voice.

“I want to show you how beautiful you are.”

She looked up at him contemplatively.

Had he really just spoken to her like some kind of poetic fool?

“I need time to think about it.”

He bowed his head respectfully. “As you wish.”

Chapter 20

The horn on the L train blared in the distance. Darkness filled every crevice of the street corner,

from the cracks in the sidewalks to the sides of the buildings where trash piled up. There was a

bakery a few beats up the street, but I needed privacy and chose to meet Logan in front of the old

apartments on Thirteenth that caught fire several years back. They never sold the property, nor

had they demolished it. The windows were boarded up and the fire escape had been dismantled to

deter the squatters.

Despite the chill, my hands were toasty warm inside my coat pockets.

Footsteps behind me crunched on freshly fallen snow—only enough to sheet the sidewalks, but

the wind blew it around like dandelions caught in the summer breeze. By the long stride, I knew it

was Logan.

“I’m glad you came,” I said, keeping my back to him.

“Do you want to tell me why I’m here?”

I didn’t have to look to know Logan was mad, and it oozed off his words like venom.

“To talk it over privately. We haven’t officially ended this; we keep racing to our corners,

waiting for the bell. But I don’t want to swing anymore, Logan. I want you to know that I’ve

chosen Tarek and I’m not going to change my mind.”

“How do you know that?” he interrupted. Even a few feet apart, I could feel the raw emotion as

he towered over me. “People change. I’ve changed.”

“Maybe I should have accepted you the way you were. I want you to know that you deserve to

find someone who can give you all the things you need; I’m just not that person.”

“Clearly,” he said in a cutting voice. “Turn around and face me.”

I kept a cool head, but I’d also strategically chosen the side of the street where the wind would

be in my favor. When I turned around, I stared into a hunter’s eyes. Logan wore a stylish black

jacket, unzipped, with a dark green T-shirt. A leather belt caught my eye because of the silver

buckle that looked like a paw, but then I realized it was a common style with men and was

supposed to be brass knuckles. He looked so handsome that I wanted to run into his arms one last

time.

He lowered his head, his arms hanging at his sides. “I’ve taken another female.”

“Does this mean you’ll leave me alone?”

He bit his lower lip.

My hands made tight fists in my pockets. “Say what you need to say; this is your chance.”

Logan stepped forward with the power and confidence that he always exuded. He sucked in a

deep breath that sounded like a hiss. “I don’t think I will ever understand why you chose him. I

have turned my life around to be a better man—a worthy man—and while I could forgive you for

Christian…” He lowered his head and shook it adamantly. “I cannot forgive you for Tarek.”

His eyes were those of a prosecuting attorney and I was the defendant.

“Tarek knows what’s important to me, and he’s promised me things. As a Lord’s mate, I’ll have

everything I could possibly want. Tarek can offer me absolute protection, and I wouldn’t have to

constantly be on the run or hiding from Nero.”

Which was true. Tarek might not have any feelings for me, but he was possessive enough that

he wouldn’t let another man have me.

“So then it’s money? I would have never thought you for a gold digger. You wouldn’t even let

me buy you an expensive dinner!”

That burned.

“Buying me an expensive dinner was nothing but an attempt to impress me with money, so

don’t be a hypocrite. You know that wealth and power mean something to an immortal, and Tarek

has more than you do.”

Logan stepped close enough that I got nervous he might pick up my scent, but the wind blew

from behind him. I feared that I would somehow be transparent and he’d see through all this and

take me into his arms, swearing to protect me. Deep down, a part of me wanted that and was

saddened it would never be.

Logan brooded. “If I had power, would that be enough for you to choose me? If I challenged

to be Lord—”

“Where is that even coming from? You can’t be Lord; you aren’t the eldest.”

“There are other ways if the eldest refuses to challenge.”

“Don’t start this, Logan, because you’ll end up being a lonely Lord. I will never choose you and

I’m so fucking exhausted from having this argument.” I stepped forward until we were in arms

reach. “Never. Ever.”

Logan reached out and lightly touched my shoulder. Faster than a heartbeat, my hand

unsheathed a dagger from inside my jacket. I gripped his long hair and held the sharp blade to his

throat, just below his right ear. Logan might have been taller, but I had the upper hand.

He tilted his neck and offered himself, eyes glittering with ferocity, but still gold.

I angled the dagger and swiped my arm in a quick motion. Logan jumped back in shock, eyes

wide as I stood with my blade in one hand.

In the other was the long length of his blond ponytail, sliced from his head.

With that one action, I cut his chances with me. He reached around, stroking his fingers

through the ends of his short hair. I couldn’t read his expression, and I didn’t want to. This was

the only way to extinguish the torch he carried for me—the only way to keep him from harm.

His beautiful blond bundle of hair fell to the wet cement. A symbol of his love placed at my feet

to tread on.

I didn’t think that a word could possibly move past my lips that wouldn’t be followed by tears.

The length of my walk up the street never felt so arduous. I glanced once over my shoulder

and in the distance, Logan stood with his back to me, staring down at a pile of hair that rested at

his feet like a forgotten dream. A quiet snow began to fall within my soul as I watched him

motionless on the corner of Thirteenth Street.

The man who had once wrapped his generous arms around me and called me his Little Raven

would finally close his heart to me.

Now and forever.

***

The following day, a package arrived from Tarek filled with the contents of what I would be

wearing to my engagement party that evening. As my neck was already adorned with a silver

necklace, he sent no jewelry. This chain would likely be hooked around my neck for the rest of my

life. I lifted the champagne-colored gown from the box and tiny sparkles caught the light. Unlike

the harlot dress, this strapless gown would fall to my ankles and float with elegance. A smaller

black box sat inside the larger one, and when I opened it up, I lifted a golden hairclip and turned it

between my fingers. Shaped like a flower, tiny diamonds were meticulously placed within each

petal.

After applying my lipstick, a panic attack took over and I raced into my bedroom and slammed

the door. I’d never hyperventilated before—there wasn’t enough air and my hands were shaking.

Justus had left thirty minutes prior upon my request because Tarek would be sending a car to pick

me up. He was still upset with me, so it would have made the wait unbearable. I held a convincing

argument, but I could tell Justus was embarrassed by my decision and no longer respected me the

way he once had.

I’d had little sleep the night before. I tossed and turned in the bed as my mind raced and

continually replayed the devastating scene of slicing Logan’s hair. When I finally fell asleep, I

dreamed about it. I saw images of myself falling into an abyss until I landed in a pile of blond hair.

Sorrow consumed me, and anger. A figure emerged from the darkness and I looked up, expecting

to see Tarek. But instead, it was Nero. He merely watched, shaking his head as the soft hair below

my feet transformed into baby’s breath. Something happened after that, but I couldn’t remember

it. I woke up from the dream feeling strangely calm and safe, and I was able to sleep for a few

hours after that.

“Silver, open the door,” Christian said impatiently.

I staggered, dizzy as the room began to spin. The dress itched and the necklace felt like it was

strangling me. The pounding on the door grew louder.

Right before he kicked it in.

Christian walked in like a breeze, gripped my shoulders firmly, and swallowed me up with his

serious black eyes. I was distracted by the fact he was wearing a formfitting black suit, skinny tie,

and had neatly combed his dark hair. Now he just looked like a Vampire going to a ball.

“You can’t afford to panic yourself. Tarek will scent your emotions,” he warned in a steady,

calm voice. “Shut ’em off for the night, you hear? Let’s play this game out. Once he sees that

Logan has settled on another woman, he’ll reconsider spending the rest of his days with a Mage

whom he reaps no personal gain from.”

“This necklace,” I said, tugging at it. “It makes me feel mortal. I don’t like not feeling my gifts,

Christian. I’m too vulnerable this way. Something could happen.”

“Calm yourself, lass. You forget that I can keep a paper doll safe in a raging inferno,” he

promised with a crooked smile.

“I’ll hold you to that.”

***

We had arrived at Tarek’s home for the party. It was atrociously large, filled with expensive

paintings, furniture, and décor. Everything about it reeked of the braggart who stood at my side,

clasping my arm in his. Most of the women present were Chitahs, and every single one of them

speared me with her gaze as I took the place where a female Chitah should be.

The men were skeptical of the pairing until Tarek assured them that he would be taking at least

one female Chitah to mate with and bear his young.

“It was such an unfortunate accident with your eldest, Torin, but some things happen for a