by Lila Kane
“Excuse me?”
His lips curve. “The fire.”
“Oh, uh…” His hands and mouth feel so good, I can barely speak but I try to nod. I reach for his pants, unsnapping the button. I slip my hand inside the material. He’s stiff and aroused, breath yanking in when I close my fingers around him.
“Willow.” His voice is low, strained with pleasure.
It’s his voice that undoes me. The fire springs to life, so close I have to jerk my hands away.
“Okay,” I whisper, eyes opening. “Hold on.”
“No,” he groans. But he stops moving, breath coming fast.
“I just…” I shake my head. “I think I need to go slower. That might help.”
“I can do slow.” His hands slide up the insides of my thighs. “We need to practice.”
“I can get on board with that.” The flames die out, and I breathe a long sigh. “Sorry.”
He puts his hands on either side of me, boxing me in. “You shouldn’t apologize. It’ll work out eventually.”
I can still feel his hands on me and see bare skin where his pants are unbuttoned. “God, I hope so.”
He laughs. “Trust me, it’s just as hard on my end.”
My eyes flick to his pants and back up. I grin. “I see that.”
He lifts me off the counter and once I’m on my feet, I slump against him for a minute. Maybe slower really is better. Not because of the flames. Because I barely know Ryan‒and last time I barely knew someone, he turned out to be a vampire.
What am I thinking? I don’t normally fall for any guy. But Logan was hard to resist with that killer confidence and Ryan has these electric eyes that see more than he lets on. He’s strong and vulnerable. For whatever reason, I trust him completely.
He abandons his coffee and says, “Ready to go?”
I nod, but bring an insulated mug with me to the door. I need my morning coffee.
“So where do you think I can find a secret Book of Shadows?”
Ryan pauses at the front door, gathering his keys off a nearby table. “Uh…ask Cheyenne?”
I smile.
“Maybe you could do a spell. Some kind of location spell. I’m pretty sure you could handle that.”
I’m glad he has so much confidence in me because I don’t. Although I did project myself all the way across town to appear in his house, so I’m not off to a terrible start.
“Stay close,” Ryan says as he opens the front door.
“I don’t think Logan is out here.”
He ignores the comment. “Stay close and hurry to the car. When we get to the site, I have to straighten a few things out before we leave again. Stick close there, too. It’s going to be tricky because technically no one lives in the house yet so I’m pretty sure Logan can walk around wherever he pleases.”
“Where are we going after that?” I ask.
He smiles, but it’s distracted. “You’ll see.”
He grabs my hand and we leave the house. I keep up with him as we race to the truck. When I hop in, I look around the property. The trees are green, looking like summer, and the sky is the shade of tropical waters.
As we drive, I realize I’m not worried about Logan. Not yet. I need to figure something out soon, but I believe he’ll give me some space in the meantime. Despite his psycho kidnapping tendencies, he’s been pretty honest with me.
When we get to the site, I follow Ryan around while he gives directions to his team. I’m curious how he got into flipping houses, and how he’s so successful at it at such a young age. He has a good-sized team, with men working to transport two-by-fours inside while others hammer and build.
They’re working on a closet in the master bedroom right now.
“We hope to have this one done by mid-summer,” Ryan tells me. “Get it on the market.”
I get a few glances as we finish walking through, but for the most part everyone sticks to their jobs. When he’s done doling out new instructions, Ryan ushers me out to the truck again, keeping vigilant.
“It’s just a few blocks over,” he says once the keys are in the ignition.
I keep silent until we reach another house. This one is smaller, at the end of the street, and looks unlived in. It’s in a quiet neighborhood filled with trees.
“What is this?” I ask.
“Let’s get inside,” he says, glancing around.
There’s a For Sale sign on the front lawn. Ryan lets us in, closing the door behind him. I scan the empty space, noting it looks clean and new, despite the old brick and siding on the outside.
“Is this one of the houses you flipped?”
He nods. “I just put it up on the market last month. So far no takers.”
I wonder if this is the same house Logan said he wanted to buy from Ryan. Or maybe he was just making that up to get me to talk to him.
“So why are we here?” I ask.
He props his shoulder against the wall in the living room. “Your mom told me once she thinks everything happens for a reason. I believe it. I haven’t sold this place yet and along you come, needing somewhere to live.”
I turn to him. “Wait‒what? You’re going to loan me this house to stay in?”
“Yeah.”
I shake my head. “I can’t do that. You’re trying to sell it. I don’t know how long I’m going to be here.”
“It’s my house, I can do whatever I want with it.”
I frown. “Ryan, you know what I mean.”
He shoves his hands in his pockets. “Look, I know you’re not completely comfortable at my place. I get it, you’re independent. You need somewhere to stay, I have somewhere for you to stay. It’s simple.”
“But…” I can think of all sorts of arguments. Like how he barely knows me, like how I can’t afford too much rent‒or at least, I don’t want to pay too much. I don’t need something this big.
“You’re considering it,” he says with a lazy smile. “Come on, it makes sense. Stay here for a while. If it doesn’t work out, no harm done.”
I walk from the living room into the kitchen. The sun is shining through the back window, and there’s a small nook in the corner. There’s plenty of counter and cupboard space. The backyard is nice, roomy, with a small deck for entertaining. Ryan follows me as I walk the hallway to one of the bedrooms. It’s modest but nice, also with wide windows. There’s one bathroom with a deep tub and double sinks.
“It’s nice,” I say. “You did a good job.”
He nods. “Thanks.”
“It’s perfect, actually. I…” I don’t finish the sentence before walking back to the living room.
“What is it?” Ryan asks, following me.
“I guess I was always so busy traveling and moving around and keeping up with school, I never really cared that much where I lived or what it looked like. Now I’m stuck here and it makes me feel so…trapped. But this‒your house‒it’s nice. It feels like a home.” I smile. “Which is exactly what I need right now.”
“Good.” He pulls a piece of paper from his back pocket. “Now sign this lease.”
My mouth drops open. I try to compose myself. “Of course. Right. We need to talk about rent and everything‒”
He laughs. “I’m not charging you rent. Once you sign this, you technically live here, so Logan can’t come in. It’ll be a safe place for you.”
“Oh.” I laugh, too. “Right.”
He passes me a pen, and I use the wall as a surface to sign my name without even reading it. No rent and a cute landlord. I’ve definitely been in worse predicaments.
I hold out the lease, but he catches my hand instead, pulling me closer. “It makes me feel like I’m doing something right giving you somewhere to stay. Maybe if I had been more open with things when you got here‒or more vigilant, even‒you might not be stuck.”
“I already told you it’s not your fault.”
He touches my bottom lip with his thumb, rubbing it back and forth. “Still. It makes me feel better.”
I smile at him. “I have a house. You know what I’m thinking?”
“Please tell me it has something to do with christening this room.”
Heat throbs inside and I try to contain it. “Actually, I was thinking I need furniture. I need to decorate.”
He flashes a grin. “Not quite as much fun on my end. You’re welcome to do whatever you want, though, as long as it doesn’t involve putting holes in any walls or painting the spare room black.”
“You’re the landlord.” I lean in and go up on my toes to kiss his cheek. “Thanks.”
“No problem. I need to get back to the site for a bit. You want me to take you to my place?”
“Hell, no. I live here now. I’ll stay.”
He laughs. “What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know…I’ll use my imagination.”
He gestures to the kitchen. “There are some cleaning supplies under the sink‒this place hasn’t been touched up in a few weeks. And outside in the shed, there’s some old furniture for the deck and a few pieces for in here that I was storing for use somewhere along the way. If you wait until I get back, I can help you haul them out.”
I flash him a brilliant smile. “Great. Now I just need a bed, some clothes, and a cell phone and I’m good to go.”
“I like the part about the bed. And you don’t need any clothes for that.”
“Ha ha.”
I walk with him to the door. He stops with his hand on the knob and turns to me. “Be safe, okay? I’ll be able to feel it if something is wrong but still…just don’t go anywhere. For now.”
“I’ll stay here, I promise.”
“Good.” He drops a kiss on my lips before heading out to the truck.
After he leaves, I get busy cleaning. Once I’ve done the kitchen and then the bathroom, I stop and stretch. I wish I would have thought to have Ryan bring me something to drink, but I know he’ll be back soon.
It’s warm inside and I open the window in the kitchen. I pull my long hair off my neck and secure it in a ponytail.
I’m tired of cleaning and curious about the shed out back. I could use somewhere to sit.
Peering out the back door, I consider the distance between it and the house. Not far. It’s my house now, I should feel comfortable in my own yard.
I don’t even rush as I walk outside into the sunshine, pausing a minute to let the rays hit my face. Being outside like this doesn’t make me feel trapped. It takes away the feeling that I’ve lost my freedom.
The shed isn’t locked, but I have to pull hard to get it open. Dust particles float in my vision and I wave a hand in front of my face. It smells old, musky inside, like no one has opened it in a while.
I see the outdoor furniture right away, folded against the side of the small shed. I step inside, searching for whatever else might be here. I find more than just tables and chairs, I also find a lamp and a coffee table. It’s old but in good shape.
Grabbing one of the folded chairs, I start to haul it out the door when I feel something on my arm. When I glance down and see the spider, I let out a girly shriek and swipe it off of me.
“Shit,” I whisper. “Shit. Shit.”
There are vampires out there and I got myself all worked up over a spider.
Grumbling to myself, I turn to walk back out in the sunshine, and run hard into a wall of muscle.
“Fancy meeting you here,” Logan says.
Then he grabs me before I can run.
Chapter 18
“Get off me!” I shout.
He only holds tighter, arms wrapped around me, nearly cutting off my air supply. “Now, Willow, I thought we already established I’m not going to hurt you.”
I wiggle against him, trying to hike my knee up, but our bodies are flush against each other.
His eyes capture mine, turning dark. “It’s time to calm down, Willow. Just calm down.”
My body relaxes against his, so much so that he has to support my weight. His eyes flick down to my necklace and he grimaces.
“There we go,” he says. “Now, I’m going to let you go as long as you promise not to try and run.”
I give a slow nod, my mind fighting the control he has over me.
He releases me and I stumble back against the shed. My shirt catches on the wood, but I don’t move.
“What are you doing here?” I ask.
“I didn’t hear back from you. I wanted to stop by and see what direction things are going in.”
“Pretty much the direction of screw you,” I whisper.
He laughs. “I swear, you’re the only woman I know who uses humor when she’s terrified. It’s impressive, really.”
“Glad you’re amused. Please leave.”
“That’s no way to treat a guest. Why don’t I help you with those chairs and we can have a seat?”
I shake my head. “No, thanks. Why are you here?”
“Would you believe I came for a truce?”
“You said that before. And no.”
He backs up, tipping his chin to the sky. I have no idea why he’s not bursting into flames right now. That must be a total myth. Vampires‒or at least this vampire‒is clearly not harmed by sunlight.
“Come on, it’s such a nice day. Why spend it hating me?”
“I guess I’m bored,” I tell him with a glare. “Don’t have anything better to do.”
He smiles. “Now you can unpack. How about that?”
“What?”
“I brought your stuff,” he says. “Do you want to see?”
I scowl. “What do you mean you brought my stuff?”
“Your car. I went ahead and fixed the tires for you. Your phone, computer, clothes. Everything you had at my house.”
I shake my head, stepping away from the shed. “You brought all my stuff?”
“Come see.”
He walks away before I can protest. I follow him around the house and to the front yard where I spot my car parked in the driveway. I peer into the backseat and see that he wasn’t lying. All my stuff I brought to Shadow Hill is in there. All except for my mother’s book.
“Why?” I ask.
“Why what?”
“Why did you bring all this?”
He leans against the car and folds his arms. His blue eyes sparkle in the sun and my pulse races faster. I look away. “You need it, don’t you?”
I probably shouldn’t be questioning his motives, but I don’t think he did this out of the kindness of his heart. “What do you want?”
“I told you. A truce. I give you some time to settle in and come to your senses, and then we work together to end this curse.” My jaw shifts and he lifts his eyebrows. “If I were in your shoes right now, I’d say yes.”
“If you were in my shoes right now, you’d be thinking like someone with half a brain,” I snap. “You’re asking me to break a spell that was put into place for a reason.”
“I have my reasons for wanting to end it.”
“What?” I ask, getting cocky. “So you can massacre half the town, live forever, or maybe‒”
He darts forward so fast, I don’t even see him. I blink and then he’s standing in front of me, so close I can feel his chest rise and fall with each measured breath. “You have no idea why I want this. You don’t know anything about me, princess, so you’d better be real careful how you talk to me.”
“I’m not afraid of you,” I whisper, clenching my hands into fists so they don’t shake. “You won’t hurt me.”
I feel a flare of power from the necklace and he backs up. Pain is etched into the corners of his mouth, but I can tell he’s trying not to show it.
“It doesn’t feel good, does it?” I ask. “Not having control?”
He scowls. “You don’t know who you’re messing with here.”
“I’m getting a better idea.”
Focusing my energy, I feel around for the flames. I’m used to them now. Maybe being intimate but not quite being able to go all the way has
helped me. I aim my gaze to the grass beside Logan’s feet and it goes up in a quick flash of fire.
He jumps to the side, and I feel a burst of triumph at having startled him. When he looks at me, his eyes narrow. “You missed.”
“No, I didn’t.”
He holds my gaze a moment longer as if trying to figure out whether or not I’m bluffing.
“I’m getting better at this,” I tell him.
“Then it shouldn’t be any problem for you to do that spell for me. You have a few days to settle in, but then I want to see results.”
“You think this is going to work? Threatening me?”
He strolls forward, casual this time, but catching my chin in his grip before I can back away. “You think that was a threat, sweetheart?”
I grit my teeth. “Let go.”
“You are not in any kind of position to tell me how to play this game.”
“Logan. Stop.”
His grip loosens a little. But his eyes meet mine. “I will give you two days. Then I expect you ready to help with the spell.”
“Go to hell.”
“Wrong answer.”
Abruptly, he lets go. My heart starts thumping. Now what?
But he doesn’t do anything, just backs up. “Two days, Willow. I’ll come for you unless you come to your senses and find me first. Then we’ve got work to do.”
My tongue is glued to the roof of my mouth. I was so afraid for a minute that he’d explode with anger, I didn’t know what to do except keep my mouth shut.
He leaves on foot since I’m keeping my car. He’s barely around the corner before Ryan’s truck comes screeching this way. He pulls to a haphazard stop on the curb and hops out.
“Where is he?” He whips off his sunglasses and scans the property. “Willow‒where?”
“Gone. He’s gone, Ryan‒”
“I’m going to kill you. What are you doing out here?”
I slump against the car, feeling bad for the worry I see in his eyes. “I’m sorry.”
His chin drops to his chest and he rubs a hand along the back of his neck. “I swear you’re allergic to listening or something. I thought you were going to stay inside. You know, where it’s safe?”
“Sorry,” I say again.
He sighs, walks over, and leans against the car as well. “I guess there’s no sense in going inside. If he wanted to hurt you, he already would have done it.” He pauses, glances behind him as if noticing the car for the first time. “Where did this come from?”
