She doesn’t text me back either and I begin to worry, but then I remember it’s the middle of the night and she’s probably asleep. God. Where is my brain?
I drop the phone on the kitchen counter, feeling frustrated and angry as hell. My life is spiraling out of control and it seems there’s no stopping it. A second later, these feelings begin to give way to a sense of giddiness spreading through my chest. I whirl around, facing the door, suddenly out of breath. A single knock sounds, injecting my heart with euphoria. Saxon is on the other side.
I could open the door for him using a simple spell, but I need the short walk to get a grip on my emotions. My stomach is twisting, all thanks to the horde of little trolls having a rave party in my belly. This is definitely not the mating bond at work. Its magic is still dulled. What I’m feeling is one hundred percent me.
Saxon’s hands are in his pockets and his chin is tucked low when I open the door. His long bangs are covering part of his face and I can’t get over how fucking sexy he is. Slowly, he glances up, looking at me from under his eyelashes. I lean against the doorframe because my legs are dangerously close to turning into jelly.
“Hey,” he says in a husky voice that sends tingles down my spine.
“Hi.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. And you?”
Shit. This is the most painful conversation I’ve ever had with Saxon. It’s like we’re strangers on a blind date.
“Do you want to come in?”
His eyes widen a fraction, the only hint of his surprise. “You know I do. But is it wise?”
My heart is going ninety, a fact Saxon must be aware of. “No, but I don’t care.”
His lips curl into a mischievous grin. “Aren’t you the rebel?”
I open the door wider, stepping to the side to let him through. When the door clicks shut again, I lean against the hard surface, not daring to move closer to him. He stops after a few steps and turns around.
“What’s the matter? Did that son of a bitch warlock do something to you?” There’s an edge to his tone now.
“Yes.”
His body becomes tense as hell while his eyes turn crimson. “What did he do?” he grits out with barely contained rage.
Crap. I should have stopped to think before I opened my big mouth. “Nothing bad. Just calm down for a second.”
“You’re shaking. How can that not be bad?”
A loud exhale leaves my mouth. “I’m not shaking because of him. It’s you.”
The anger leaves his face, giving way to misplaced guilt. “Are you afraid of me? Is it because of what happened in the market?”
For fuck’s sake, Aurora. You’re making a mess out of this conversation.
I take a step toward him. “God, no. What I meant before was my conversation with the warlock made me realize something.”
“What?”
The words are on the tip of my tongue, but I’m too scared to confess. Damn it. I don’t know what I’m doing anymore. Looking away, I run my fingers through my hair. “I don’t think I want to end our bond.”
Not the whole truth, but it’s all I dare say for now.
I expect Saxon to have a comment to my statement, but when he doesn’t speak for several beats, I glance in his direction. Holy cannoli. Talk about being blasted by the most intense heated stare ever. Shining in his eyes I see a combination of lust and admiration.
“What does that mean for your upcoming nuptials?”
My throat begins to close up. “I don’t know.”
“If we’re still mated by then, you know what will happen, don’t you?” Crimson shines in his eyes again.
“You’ll slay Calvin.” I move closer, dying to come into his orbit, his heat.
“Do you want me to kill your fiancé, Rora?” His eyes narrow. “Is that what this is about?”
I despise Calvin, but do I want him dead? No, I’m not that ruthless. But even if I were, I’d never use Saxon to do my dirty work.
“I wish it were that simple. No, I don’t want you to kill the jerkface. If I wanted him dead, I’d do it myself.”
“Then what do you want from me?” He sounds frustrated now.
I knit my fingers together, unsure of what to say. Damn it. Why am I all of a sudden so insecure?
“I didn’t expect any of this to happen, Sax. I’m confused as hell. The warlock said he had the power to