fraction. “Without even blinking.”
He laughed. “Make up your mind, sorceress. Hate me or…” He trailed off intentionally as she had moments ago.
“Where. Are. Your. Clothes?”
“On the roof.”
She followed his gaze, holding out her hands. Her eyes brightened from gray to a brilliant purple, the pulse of power like the drag of a hot feather up his spine.
“Here.” She turned and thrust something into his arms.
He didn’t need to look down to know it was his clothes. He caught her hand before she could back up. Watching her face closely, he teased his thumb across the inside of her wrist.
Her gaze snapped to his, and he lifted her hand to his face, his eyes sliding shut. The cat stretched its claws in pure pleasure at her touch, making it even harder to get the words out.
“I can’t live like this, Emma. I can’t keeping fighting myself. Can’t keep wanting you this much when it’s nothing more than a lie.” He turned his face into her palm. “You need to make it stop. Please.”
The rough plea twisted Emma’s heart. “I can’t.” Damn Elena for putting her in this position.
Music blared between them, and he dropped her hand.
Seeing the confusion on his face, she slipped her ringing phone out of his pocket. “It’s just my cell. Get dressed.”
Facing the sidewalk and hopefully keeping herself between Cian and anyone who strolled by, she glanced at the call display.
Elena. About freaking time.
She didn’t even waste time with hello as she answered. “You’ve really done it this time, you know that?”
“Thank Avalon you’re okay.”
Emma frowned, hearing the relief in Elena’s voice. Okay, she hadn’t been expecting that.
“You’re in trouble, Em.”
She slid a sidelong glance to the gargoyle tugging on his pants. “You don’t know the half of it.”
“It’s Gareth.”
“I know. Two of his lackeys were just here.”
“Are you okay?”
Another glance at the man behind her. “Mostly.”
Cian cocked his head. “Emma?” He held up his shirt. “What happened to this?”
The expensive shirt he’d been wearing was full of holes. Damn.
She ignored his question. “You and I need to talk.”
Elena blew out a breath, and she felt her unease increase. Even neck deep in trouble, Elena rarely sounded worried. “I know. Meet me at Leah’s. I’ll be there in less than an hour. I’ve already reserved Leah a suite at the Bellagio for a couple nights to keep her out of harm’s way.”
“You sure she’ll be safe enough? I can—”
“She’ll be fine. You need to worry about yourself for once, Em. Gareth isn’t screwing around this time.”
“You think he’ll try again.”
“We both knew your last refusal to honor the alliance would only buy you a little more time.” Static echoed over the line. “Is the gargoyle still with you?”
“How did—”
“Keep him with you, Em. You need him.”
“What I need is for you to undo—”
A dial tone echoed in her ear. Elena had hung up on her.
Oh no. She punched in Elena’s number, cursing under her breath when the call went right to voicemail. Taking a deep breath, she slipped the phone into her bag and faced Cian.
“You’re in trouble, aren’t you?”
“You could at least pretend to sound surprised.”
“My brother mentioned that he and Sorcha crossed paths with more than one immortal eager to find you.”
Big surprise there. “Would you believe me if I said it was just one big misunderstanding?”
“Which part? Other immortals hunting you or this Gareth sending people to bring you to him?”
Refusing to think about Gareth right now—the determined sorcerer an even bigger pain in her ass than Cian—she started for the sidewalk. “It’s not safe to stay here.” It wouldn’t be safe for her anywhere if Gareth was intent on finding her. She’d foolishly hoped he and her father had found someone else to use in their power play against the other houses. Apparently not.
“You’re not
He laughed. “Make up your mind, sorceress. Hate me or…” He trailed off intentionally as she had moments ago.
“Where. Are. Your. Clothes?”
“On the roof.”
She followed his gaze, holding out her hands. Her eyes brightened from gray to a brilliant purple, the pulse of power like the drag of a hot feather up his spine.
“Here.” She turned and thrust something into his arms.
He didn’t need to look down to know it was his clothes. He caught her hand before she could back up. Watching her face closely, he teased his thumb across the inside of her wrist.
Her gaze snapped to his, and he lifted her hand to his face, his eyes sliding shut. The cat stretched its claws in pure pleasure at her touch, making it even harder to get the words out.
“I can’t live like this, Emma. I can’t keeping fighting myself. Can’t keep wanting you this much when it’s nothing more than a lie.” He turned his face into her palm. “You need to make it stop. Please.”
The rough plea twisted Emma’s heart. “I can’t.” Damn Elena for putting her in this position.
Music blared between them, and he dropped her hand.
Seeing the confusion on his face, she slipped her ringing phone out of his pocket. “It’s just my cell. Get dressed.”
Facing the sidewalk and hopefully keeping herself between Cian and anyone who strolled by, she glanced at the call display.
Elena. About freaking time.
She didn’t even waste time with hello as she answered. “You’ve really done it this time, you know that?”
“Thank Avalon you’re okay.”
Emma frowned, hearing the relief in Elena’s voice. Okay, she hadn’t been expecting that.
“You’re in trouble, Em.”
She slid a sidelong glance to the gargoyle tugging on his pants. “You don’t know the half of it.”
“It’s Gareth.”
“I know. Two of his lackeys were just here.”
“Are you okay?”
Another glance at the man behind her. “Mostly.”
Cian cocked his head. “Emma?” He held up his shirt. “What happened to this?”
The expensive shirt he’d been wearing was full of holes. Damn.
She ignored his question. “You and I need to talk.”
Elena blew out a breath, and she felt her unease increase. Even neck deep in trouble, Elena rarely sounded worried. “I know. Meet me at Leah’s. I’ll be there in less than an hour. I’ve already reserved Leah a suite at the Bellagio for a couple nights to keep her out of harm’s way.”
“You sure she’ll be safe enough? I can—”
“She’ll be fine. You need to worry about yourself for once, Em. Gareth isn’t screwing around this time.”
“You think he’ll try again.”
“We both knew your last refusal to honor the alliance would only buy you a little more time.” Static echoed over the line. “Is the gargoyle still with you?”
“How did—”
“Keep him with you, Em. You need him.”
“What I need is for you to undo—”
A dial tone echoed in her ear. Elena had hung up on her.
Oh no. She punched in Elena’s number, cursing under her breath when the call went right to voicemail. Taking a deep breath, she slipped the phone into her bag and faced Cian.
“You’re in trouble, aren’t you?”
“You could at least pretend to sound surprised.”
“My brother mentioned that he and Sorcha crossed paths with more than one immortal eager to find you.”
Big surprise there. “Would you believe me if I said it was just one big misunderstanding?”
“Which part? Other immortals hunting you or this Gareth sending people to bring you to him?”
Refusing to think about Gareth right now—the determined sorcerer an even bigger pain in her ass than Cian—she started for the sidewalk. “It’s not safe to stay here.” It wouldn’t be safe for her anywhere if Gareth was intent on finding her. She’d foolishly hoped he and her father had found someone else to use in their power play against the other houses. Apparently not.
“You’re not
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