Eternal Promise: (The Cursed Series, Book 5)

by Kara Leigh Miller

  Trent took my hand and kissed my palm, his gaze heated. “Love you,” he said.

  My heart beat triple time, and I smiled. “What’s all this for?” I asked, twisting so I was facing him.

  He did the same, and we sat knee to knee. “No reason.” He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “I know there’s nothing going on between you and Jax, and I’m glad you’re both making an effort to be friends.”

  “But?” I raised a brow.

  “But after everything that happened between you two, it’s going to take some time for me to be okay with all of this,” he said. “Especially when I know he still has feelings for you.”

  “Trent, I—”

  Isach plopped down across from us, and I jerked my head in his direction, my eyes wide.

  “You lost, Zoya?” Trent asked.

  “I’m finally ungrounded,” Isach said. “My father called off his spies, too. Guess I proved myself to the coven.”

  “That’s great news,” I said.

  Abby would be thrilled to hear that, too, because now she and Isach could officially get back together.

  Isach grunted. “I guess.”

  He rubbed his hands over his face, and for the first time since he sat down, I realized how exhausted he looked. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his skin was pale. Was he sick, or just really stressed out?

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Trent asked. He put his hand on my leg, and I put my hand over his, lacing our fingers.

  “My father’s up to something, and I can’t figure out what,” Isach said.

  “Something like bargaining for his soul?” Trent asked, his voice low. “You already told us that.”

  “I know.” Isach nodded. “But I’ve been trying to figure out why. He’s lived centuries without it. Why does he suddenly care now?” He shook his head.

  Ellie, Nick, Luke, and Whitney arrived then, effectively cutting off our conversation.

  “Oh, hey, Isach,” Ellie said, glancing at me for an explanation.

  I shrugged. I had no idea what to tell her. And Trent didn’t offer any information, either. The four of them sat around the table.

  A moment later, Abby walked in with Wyatt. They were laughing, and she looked happier than I’d seen her in weeks. I momentarily closed my eyes, knowing this probably wasn’t going to end well.

  Isach’s jaw ticked, and he narrowed his eyes. Then, slowly, he stood and stalked toward Abby. I spun around to watch whatever was about to happen, ready to intervene if necessary.

  “Isach,” Abby said, shocked. “What’re you—”

  He slipped one arm around her back, yanking her toward him, and cradled the side of her neck with his other hand. And then he kissed her.

  “Whoa,” Ellie whispered and cleared her throat. “I’m, um, going to go, uh, get food.” She got up and left the table, a noticeable smirk on her face. Nick quickly followed her.

  I turned back toward Trent in an effort to give Abby and Isach a bit of privacy, even though it was clear Isach wanted everyone to see him kissing Abby. He was staking his claim.

  “Point taken, dude,” Wyatt said, hands up in a show of surrender. He walked around the table and sat beside Trent.

  “I’m so sorry,” Isach said. “For everything.”

  I tried really hard not to eavesdrop, but that was hard to do when they were standing right behind me. And I was nosy. I wanted to know how this was going to work out for them. I was tired of seeing Abby so upset.

  “Hey, we’re going to take off,” Abby said over my shoulder. “I’ll be back by final bell.”

  “Good luck,” I said with a smile. “And be safe.”

  She nodded, then took off with Isach. I truly hoped they could work things out. Maybe things would finally go back to normal, and we could all move forward. It would suck big time if Isach wasn’t able to associate with us during prom and graduation and our wedding. He really needed to be around for that.

  “Okay, that wasn’t totally weird,” Whitney said once Isach and Abby were out of earshot.

  “It was sweet,” I said with a shrug. “Isach loves her, and he’s finally fighting for her. Isn’t that what every girl wants? A guy who will move heaven and earth for her?”

  “Ugh.” Whitney rolled her eyes. “Of course you’d say that. This one”—she jerked her head in Trent’s direction—”has totally given you an unrealistic expectation of relationships. He’s sickeningly romantic all the time. It’s exhausting.”

  I laughed and rested my head on Trent’s shoulder. “I happen to like it. A lot.”

  “Good.” Trent lifted my chin and pressed his lips to mine. “Because I have no intentions of stopping any time soon.”

  My heart fluttered at his promise.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE:

  Prom

  I SLIPPED MY ACHING FEET OUT of my heels and propped my feet on Trent’s lap. He gave me a knowing smile, leaned over, and gave me a quick kiss.

  “We finally did it,” he whispered. “I took you to prom.”

  I laughed—I’d been doing a lot of that tonight—and nudged his leg with my foot. “Took you long enough,” I teased.

  Tonight had been, by far, one of the best nights of my life. Trent had rented a limo for all of us, and he’d invited everyone to his father’s cabin for an after-prom party and sleepover. Of course, our parents all thought we were staying at Whitney’s.

  I hadn’t been back to the cabin since the weekend Trent and I had spent there. While that had been great, there were still a lot of painful memories of that place.

  Trent dragged his hand up my leg, then back down, snapping me from my thoughts. Whatever happened at that cabin was in the past. Trent and I had a fresh start now, and things had never been better between us. That’s what I was going to focus on.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  I smiled. “Yeah, just tired.”

  Prom was almost over, which meant I’d been dancing on and off for almost four hours. I was so ready to change into something more comfortable and spend the rest of the night chilling with my friends.

  “Chloe, c’mon!” Abby rushed over to me, grabbed my hands, and yanked me to my feet. “This is the last song of the night. You have to come dance with us.” Her face was flushed with excitement.

  “My feet are killing me,” I complained.

  Abby glanced down. “So, leave your shoes off. I did.” She lifted the hem of her dress and stuck out her leg. Sure enough, her foot was bare.

  I laughed. “Give me a second.” I sat on Trent’s lap, wrapped my arms around his neck, and planted a kiss on his lips. “I’ll be back,” I said.

  “I’ll be here waiting for you,” he said, his gaze heated.

  My heart stuttered as I stood and let Abby drag me onto the dance floor. Ellie squealed when she saw me, and Whitney nearly crushed us in a group hug. Flinging my arms in the air, I whooped and shook my hips.

  When the song ended, the lights came on, and a chorus of groans, “boo,” and “one more song” echoed throughout the room. As much fun as I’d been having, I was ready to get out of here.

  Hand in hand with Trent, we walked outside to find the limo waiting near the curb. Our driver was standing near the back door, waiting. Me, Trent, Ellie, Nick, Luke, Whitney, Abby, Isach, Jax, and Wyatt piled inside.

  I looped my arm through Trent’s and rested my head on his shoulder. The drive to the cabin would take a little less than an hour, and my plan was to catch a quick nap. Though, once the car pulled away, I was suddenly very wide awake. So was everyone else.

  “That was so much fun,” Ellie said. “I’m sad it’s over. I mean, I’m sure the after party is going to be just as much fun, but that was literally the last prom any of us will ever go to, and that’s sad, y’know? This could be the last time all of us are together like this.”

  “We still have senior trip,” Nick said, nudging her with his shoulder.

  “And graduation,” I added.

  Ellie sighed. “
True. Still. I can’t believe everything is ending. Seems like the year just started.”

  “Okay, enough with the sad stuff,” Whitney said. “We’re supposed to be having fun tonight.”

  “Sorry.” Ellie giggled.

  Trent brushed a tender kiss across my forehead, and I tightened my hold on his arm. Tonight couldn’t have been more perfect, and I was so grateful I’d been able to experience this with him.

  Excited chatter filled the car, making the drive seem a lot shorter, and soon, the limo pulled into the driveway.

  “Holy crap,” Ellie said, eyes wide. “This is where we’re staying tonight?”

  “Yup,” Jax said, his gaze lingering on me for a moment before he climbed out of the car.

  Trent and I were the last two out of the limo. Threading our fingers, Trent gave my hand a squeeze. “You okay?”

  I nodded. “Yeah.”

  He brought my hand to his lips and kissed my knuckles.

  Jax unlocked the door, and everyone filed inside. Even from where I now stood on the porch, I could hear their excited squeals and sincere praise of the interior.

  “The room to the far left at top of the stairs is taken,” Trent said, garnering everyone’s attention. “But the rest of the rooms are free.”

  Everyone scattered to claim their rooms, and I laughed. My gaze wandered around the cabin and rested on floor in front of the fireplace. That was where we’d made love. Multiple times. My face heated at that memory.

  “Come here. I want to show you something,” Trent said.

  I expected him to take me upstairs, but instead, he led me toward the back porch. He slid open the glass doors and motioned for me to go first. I gave him a questioning look and stepped out onto the back porch.

  My jaw dropped. A massive in-ground pool had been installed, complete with a large hot tub at one end, and a small pool house set off to the side. There was even a cabana with pillowed lounge chairs and a mini-bar. None of this had been here before.

  “When did this happen?” I spun around to face Trent.

  He’d closed the sliding glass doors and now stood in front of them, hands tucked into his pockets. God, he was gorgeous, and for a brief second, I forgot all about the pool. I closed the small distance between us.

  “I had it installed a month ago,” he said, staring down at me, a twinkle in his clear blue eyes. “The pool is heated.”

  “Why?” I ran my hands down his lapels and gazed up at him.

  “Because I know how much you like the water,” he said.

  I tilted my head. “Okay… but… why here? I mean, it’s not like we spend a ton of time here,” I said.

  Not that I’d mind coming here more often. The cabin was cozy, the mountain view was breathtaking, and the peacefulness the seclusion offered was fantastic. Knowing I wouldn’t have to be on house arrest while here would be an added bonus, too.

  “That’s the thing.” He rubbed the back of his neck, then reached for me. He slid his arms around my waist. “You were right. We’re going to need a place to live after we’re married, and while you’re pregnant. It’s not like we’re planning to leave Keene Valley right away, so I figured—”

  I let out a small squeal of excitement, and then clamped my mouth shut so he could finish.

  Trent smiled and shook his head, clearly amused with my little outburst. “I figured we could live here for a while. It’s close to town and our families, and it’s—”

  “Perfect,” I said with a sigh. “It’s absolutely perfect.”

  “Yeah?” He lifted a brow.

  “Yes.” I flung my arms around his neck and kissed him like my very life depended on it.

  He nipped at my bottom lip and groaned before pulling me closer, our bodies melded together as one. Desire pooled in my belly, and the way Trent kissed me—with all the hunger and ferocity of a caged animal who’d just found freedom—wasn’t helping the fire burning inside of me.

  I slid my hands up his chest and over his shoulders, attempting to ease his suit jacket off, but that was impossible when he refused to release me. His arms were still locked around me, holding me tight to his body.

  “I’m tempted to make everyone leave so we can have the place to ourselves,” he mumbled against my lips.

  I chuckled and broke away from his kiss. Why was it always so hard to catch my breath after he kissed me? My tongue grazed over my tingling lips, and Trent’s eyes narrowed, his gaze dark and lustful.

  “You can’t tell them to leave,” I said when I finally caught my breath. “That’s rude. Besides, how will I tell them they’re staying at our new house if you kick them all out?”

  He laughed. Stepping aside, he slid open the glass doors and motioned for me to go inside. “Well, go tell them then,” he said.

  I didn’t waste any time rushing inside and finding Ellie, who was wandering around with Abby and Whitney, scoping out the place. When I told them the good news, they screamed so loud I was positive they’d busted my eardrum.

  “There’s also a pool and hot tub outside,” I said.

  “Oh, we are totally doing that,” Whitney said. “Good thing Trent told us to pack swimsuits.” She nudged me and laughed.

  “Of course he did,” I said.

  Because Trent had all of this planned for months now, and he’d enlisted my friends, too. But I wasn’t upset with him—I’d come to learn this was just Trent. He planned things and constantly surprised me.

  “I shoved your swimsuit in your bag when you weren’t looking,” Abby said with a proud smile.

  “Thanks,” I said. “Okay then, let’s change and go swimming!”

  I rushed upstairs and straight into the room I’d stayed in last time I was here. All the air rushed from my lungs in a sharp exhale.

  Everything was exactly the same, except for the couple dozen candles scattered around the room, flames flickering and dancing over the walls. There was a vase of roses on the nightstand. An envelope was propped in front of the vase, and my name was written across the front in Trent’s handwriting.

  I couldn’t believe he’d done all of this. It hit me right then that Trent didn’t just love me, he worshipped me. That knowledge was like a weight on my heart, pressing down on me in the most satisfying way.

  I closed the door and made my way toward the card. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I pulled the paper from the envelope. My hands trembled.

  My dearest Chloe,

  By now, you’ve seen the pool and our bedroom, and you know that I want to make this cabin our home, and I can probably guess what’s going through your mind right now—I do so much for you, give you so much, and you don’t give me anything in return. Am I right?

  I laughed despite the lump that had formed in my throat and wiped the tears that were silently tracking down my cheeks.

  Well, I’m telling you right now, in writing, that you’re wrong. You’ve given me everything. A reason to keep existing. A future I’m excited about. You’ve agreed to be my wife and the mother of my child.

  I blew out a breath and wiped more tears from my face. God, how did he always manage to make me cry like this? And why did I like it so much? Not that I particularly enjoyed the act of crying, but the emotions Trent brought out in me… those, I cherished.

  I love you more than words can ever express, but no matter how often I tell you I love you, it just doesn’t seem like enough. Nothing I can say seems like enough. That’s why I do all this stuff for you, so I can show you how much you mean to me, how my life is so much better simply because you’re in it.

  The words blurred through my tears. Blinking, I glanced up at the ceiling and tried to get my tears to slow down enough so I could finish reading his letter. After a moment, I returned my attention back to the paper I held.

  Last time we were here, I asked you a question. Do you remember?

  I remembered. God, did I remember. I remembered how intense he’d been, how he’d bared his heart to me, how pleading his voice had been, the desperation in
his eyes. How I hadn’t been able to say yes because I was too terrified.

  I had no idea why he brought this back up now, especially when I’d already told him I wanted to spend eternity with him. He wasn’t still mad about that night, was he? I forced myself to finish the letter, despite the unease now snaking through my stomach.

  It wasn’t fair of me to ask you that back then. You weren’t ready. I was selfish and acting out of desperation. I tend to do that a lot when it concerns you. I feel like I’m constantly asking so much of you.

  To become my soulmate.

  To love only me for the rest of your life.

  To marry me.

  To have my child.

  To someday travel the world with me.

  You’re probably wondering why I wrote you this letter, and I promise I have a reason. As I said, I’ve asked you for a lot, but there’s still one very important thing I haven’t asked you. And I need to, for both of our sakes.

  The letter abruptly ended. What? I flipped the paper over. Blank. I tore open the envelope, praying I’d missed a second page, but there was nothing there, either. I stood, eager to find Trent and ask him.

  I turned toward the door and found Trent standing there, hands once again tucked into his pockets. His expression was soft and compassionate.

  “I didn’t even hear you come in,” I said, wiping my tears. “How long have you been there?”

  “Long enough,” he said, his voice deep and raw.

  “What do you still need to ask me?” I asked, my voice shaky. The letter was clutched tightly in my hand, the paper crinkling in my fist.

  A hint of a smile ghosted across his face, then disappeared. “The one thing I’ve never actually asked you before. I’ve begged, pleaded… hell, I even yelled at you about it once.” He shook his head and dragged his hand through his hair. “But I’ve never actually asked you. Not like I should have.”

  I stared at him, my emotions too much of a jumbled mess to comprehend what he was trying to tell me, so I stood there silently, tears still trickling down my face.

  He gently took my face into his hands, his thumbs stroking the tears off my cheeks. “I know all of this probably seems dramatic and unnecessary, but it’s important that I do this the right way.”