Read Online Cloak of Deceit: An Alex Moore Novel by Gwen Mitchell - Free Book Online Page A

me, pointing out my weaknesses at every opportunity, and seemed to be having a good time doing it.
    He laughed whenever I growled in frustration, and if I hadn’t liked hearing it so much, his teasing probably would have peeved me.
    “Are you trying to get me to throw you into the wall again?” I threatened, sucking on a finger he’d smashed, completely on purpose.
    The smile dropped from his face and he stepped off the mat, lowering his weapon. “Good point. We should stop.”
    I shook my head, giving him my best pout. “No, come on. I didn’t mean it.”
    “I know, but you’re right.” He took the practice sword away from me. “We shouldn’t risk it. I’m supposed keep you contained.”
    “Contained? As in under control or restraint?”

    He sighed, but nodded. “Another Knight will be here later to make an evaluation. Until then, I’m supposed to keep an eye on you and make sure you don’t use any of your powers.”
    “So, I’m your prisoner?” I didn’t bother to keep the hurt or accusation out of my voice. I should have known the other shoe would drop eventually. Especially since I was starting to like him. That never bodes well with me. The more I like a guy, the worse he probably is. I’m a regular jerk-o-meter.
    “No, you’re under my protection.” Julian pulled on a T-shirt.
    I berated myself for the wash of disappointment that swept through me when he covered up. I was already letting my hormones think for me. I’d thought we were having a good time, maybe even connecting a little. But he was only doing his job. Keeping me occupied. I wondered if his orders had been by any means necessary . Would he take me to bed if they told him to? And would he consider it a chore, or a perk?
    You’ve got it wrong, as usual Alex.

    The fact that my life still hung in the balance came crashing down on me anew. I was trapped. A tremble of panic ran through my body. I hated not having a choice. Too much of my life had been spent doing what other people wanted me to do. Now I had all these new abilities and with them came a whole new set of restrictions.
    How could I put my trust in someone who was only taking orders? Who had no vested interest in my survival? Julian said I deserved a fighting chance, that the Grigori didn’t scare him, but what about the Cloak? He’d as much as admitted he would hand me over to them as soon as they came for me. He would probably be glad to see me go so he could get back to his neat, orderly life of enforcing. I was just a temporary hiccup.
    “Maybe I don’t want your protection.” I stormed out of the garage before he could answer. I didn’t have a plan, I just needed to do something . I left the back door to the house swinging, but Julian caught it and closed it gently before following me into the kitchen. I spotted the phone and lunged for it.
    He beat me there and held it behind his back.
    “Give me the phone!” I shouted in his face, my breath coming fast and hard.
    Trapped! Alone…
    Julian absorbed the brunt of my anger, his expression impassive, his voice calm and way too reasonable. “Tell me who you’re going to call and I’ll consider it.”
    “My mother,” I said through bared teeth. Despite my attempts to look threatening, tears sprang into my eyes at the thought of my mom. He’d done a good job distracting me, but the harsh truth of my death and what it meant carved into my chest like a cold, jagged knife. I needed something familiar to ground and comfort me. I needed my mom.
    What would she say if I explained everything that had happened, if she knew my life as I’d known it was over? I shook my head and gave Julian a disgusted look. His brows were furrowed in sympathy, which only made it worse. I didn’t want him to see how weak I really was.
    I clenched my jaw, and when I was assured my voice would be calmer, said, “She’ll be worried about me. I just disappeared. She’ll call the cops if I don’t check-in soon.”
    He looked abashed as