Read Online Creature of Habit (Book 3) by Angel Lawson - Free Book Online
Authors: Angel Lawson
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the window, his hand running through his hair with agitation. He paused, and I could see his refection in the black glass. His eyes were closed in thought.
"I'm going to help look for him," he told me from across the room, his back facing me.
"Okay," I said, fear automatically twisting in my stomach.
He walked back over to me and his jaw clenched, making the definition sharper. "Miles and I talked about it earlier. Everyone agrees splitting up may be the best way to get Caleb to show his face. We need to divide and weaken his gang.”
The feeling in my stomach tightened, but I kept my face composed and said, "If he thinks it's best, I guess you should." It was a lie. The thought of Grant leaving my side again completely freaked me out. Grant saw through my façade immediately, my traitorous voice and panicked heart having quivered enough to give me away.
Grant ran his thumb up my arm and nestled it in the crease of my elbow, rubbing gently before kissing the same spot. "You won't be here alone."
"Adam?" I asked, feeling a little better but noticed Grant stiffen at his name.
“Yes, and probably a couple others. It’s likely there will be an attempt this time.” He watched for my reaction carefully. “I wouldn’t leave you alone if I had another choice.”
"I know. Obviously the Shifters have powers but will they really be effective against more than one vampire?" I asked. I thought about Joe in the parking garage and the flock of birds that took him down. The crease in Grant’s forehead didn’t help my worry.
"I think it has to be this way. The Council has made it clear the situation with Caleb has to come to an end immediately. We have to make our move to get Olivia back now.”
“I understand.”
“I promise you'll be safe. The Shifters are born to fight vampires and have evolved to defend their territory against our kind. If Ryan and Elijah have really caught onto Olivia’s scent then it all could be moot. We may end this before it begins. And you being here is probably the safest place you can be, and as much as I hate to say it, being away from me is probably better anyway." Grant stretched his fingers over mine, enclosing my small hands with his larger ones.
I shook my head and found his troubled eyes. "No, being away from you will never be the better option." I sighed and rested my head on his chest. He wrapped his long arms around me and pulled me close against his body. I inhaled the fresh clean scent of his shirt. "But if you and Miles agree, then I'm okay with it."
We held one another for a minute, our bodies tight with tension, neither wanting to let go. I wanted to weld my body to his, fuse our arms and legs and hips and cheeks. I wanted the moments before, back when was Grant on me, in me and all around me. I looked up to see him studying me intently and was struck with a realization.
"You came up here because you knew you were leaving. That's where that came from," I accused, motioning to the floor, now understanding his desperation and fervor.
He met my words with a look of defiant guilt. "I don't want to leave you," he mumbled, sheepishly. "I'm not sure when I'll be back."
I crawled off his lap and reached for his arms, pretending to lug him off the floor. "You have to. But the sooner you go, the faster you'll be back. I have faith in you all. You will find Olivia and destroy Caleb and you and I will live happily ever after." I forced myself to push through the pain and worry. Grant needed to focus, for his family and for his own safety. "I would never want your concern for me to outweigh your family commitment."
“You are my family, Amelia.”
His hand grazed my arm, ghosting down until he settled his fingers over my wrist, over my pulse. His eyes held mine lovingly, but I saw his eyebrow twitch and his head shift slightly upward.
"What?" I whispered, now able to read Grant's movements.
He walked across the room, dragging me behind him. "It's Genevieve," he said, and opened the
"I'm going to help look for him," he told me from across the room, his back facing me.
"Okay," I said, fear automatically twisting in my stomach.
He walked back over to me and his jaw clenched, making the definition sharper. "Miles and I talked about it earlier. Everyone agrees splitting up may be the best way to get Caleb to show his face. We need to divide and weaken his gang.”
The feeling in my stomach tightened, but I kept my face composed and said, "If he thinks it's best, I guess you should." It was a lie. The thought of Grant leaving my side again completely freaked me out. Grant saw through my façade immediately, my traitorous voice and panicked heart having quivered enough to give me away.
Grant ran his thumb up my arm and nestled it in the crease of my elbow, rubbing gently before kissing the same spot. "You won't be here alone."
"Adam?" I asked, feeling a little better but noticed Grant stiffen at his name.
“Yes, and probably a couple others. It’s likely there will be an attempt this time.” He watched for my reaction carefully. “I wouldn’t leave you alone if I had another choice.”
"I know. Obviously the Shifters have powers but will they really be effective against more than one vampire?" I asked. I thought about Joe in the parking garage and the flock of birds that took him down. The crease in Grant’s forehead didn’t help my worry.
"I think it has to be this way. The Council has made it clear the situation with Caleb has to come to an end immediately. We have to make our move to get Olivia back now.”
“I understand.”
“I promise you'll be safe. The Shifters are born to fight vampires and have evolved to defend their territory against our kind. If Ryan and Elijah have really caught onto Olivia’s scent then it all could be moot. We may end this before it begins. And you being here is probably the safest place you can be, and as much as I hate to say it, being away from me is probably better anyway." Grant stretched his fingers over mine, enclosing my small hands with his larger ones.
I shook my head and found his troubled eyes. "No, being away from you will never be the better option." I sighed and rested my head on his chest. He wrapped his long arms around me and pulled me close against his body. I inhaled the fresh clean scent of his shirt. "But if you and Miles agree, then I'm okay with it."
We held one another for a minute, our bodies tight with tension, neither wanting to let go. I wanted to weld my body to his, fuse our arms and legs and hips and cheeks. I wanted the moments before, back when was Grant on me, in me and all around me. I looked up to see him studying me intently and was struck with a realization.
"You came up here because you knew you were leaving. That's where that came from," I accused, motioning to the floor, now understanding his desperation and fervor.
He met my words with a look of defiant guilt. "I don't want to leave you," he mumbled, sheepishly. "I'm not sure when I'll be back."
I crawled off his lap and reached for his arms, pretending to lug him off the floor. "You have to. But the sooner you go, the faster you'll be back. I have faith in you all. You will find Olivia and destroy Caleb and you and I will live happily ever after." I forced myself to push through the pain and worry. Grant needed to focus, for his family and for his own safety. "I would never want your concern for me to outweigh your family commitment."
“You are my family, Amelia.”
His hand grazed my arm, ghosting down until he settled his fingers over my wrist, over my pulse. His eyes held mine lovingly, but I saw his eyebrow twitch and his head shift slightly upward.
"What?" I whispered, now able to read Grant's movements.
He walked across the room, dragging me behind him. "It's Genevieve," he said, and opened the
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