Read Online Eden by Jamie McGuire - Free Book Online Page A

and sighed. “Maybe
I should—”
    “ You’re already looking
forward to several days of makeup work and tests, and don’t forget
Finals coming up soon. Grant can handle it.”
    I nodded. “You’re right. I’ll meet
with him this evening. He has an hour, and then I’ll hit the
books.”
    Jared shook his head.
    “ What? What did I
say?”
    “ You. Agreeing with me
without a single argument. It’s something I’ll have to get used
to.”
    I pressed my lips together in a hard
line, trying not to smile. I must have been a true nuisance to him.
I owed him a nice, long vacation from my stubbornness.
    “ I can’t believe I’ve been
so awful to you. I’m sorry.”
    Jared took my hand in his, and turned
to face me. “You have not been awful. You’ve had an incredible
amount to deal with, and doing things on your terms was important
to you. Making choices was the only shred of control you had in
this entire, crazy situation. I’ve never begrudged you that. In
fact, it’s one of the things I love about you.”
    “ Regardless, consider it
significantly toned down.”
    Jared smiled. “You don’t have to
apologize for coping. It’s been tough for everyone. It’s been a
lot. However, I won’t lie and say I’m not going to enjoy the new
attitude.”
    I leaned in and kissed the corner of
his mouth. “You’re going to see a lot of new from me. I don’t want
to be a victim, anymore. I am now an active participant in what
happens to me and my family. We’re going to get through this
together or not at all.”
    Jared beamed. “You amaze me every
day.”
    “ Well, if you’re quite
finished being amazed, I need to go into work for a bit. Robert?
We’ll need the Escalade.”
    Robert glanced at me in the rearview
mirror with his wrinkled, kind eyes. “Yes, ma’am.” He made a turn,
taking us to our home. That was one thing very different from our
last trip to Little Corn. Home was no longer the loft.
    The tires crunched across the gravel
drive, and Robert slowed the car to a stop next to Jared’s SUV. The
door opened, and Robert lent me a hand. “It’s good to have you
back, Miss…,” Robert seemed flustered for a moment before speaking
again, “I deeply apologize. Mrs. Ryel.”
    I smiled. “Just for that, you get a
raise, Robert.”
    He nodded to Jared, and then popped
the trunk, pulling our bags from the back. “I’ll have your things
laundered and returned to your room.”
    “ Thank you, Robert,” Jared
said. He grabbed my hand and led me to the Escalade, pulling open
the door. He lifted me into his arms and placed me gently in the
passenger seat. “Since I don’t have time to carry you across the
threshold, I suppose this will have to do.”
    I laughed. “It’ll do,” I said, placing
each of my hands on his cheeks for a quick kiss.
    Providence seemed different. Remnant
rain dripped from the trees, the beautiful buildings still loomed
over the streets, and the traffic still made walking across the
post-storm street a challenge for pedestrians who wished to remain
dry. But it was foreign somehow. Providence would always be home,
but for now it was a battleground—a place to stand off with those
who would harm my child. For the next months until I gave birth, I
would walk the streets on guard, in constant suspicion of everyone
I came across, and cautious of every dark street. Having no idea
when Hell would act, or what they had in store for us, it was
important now than ever to be prepared and vigilant. All things
considered, I was glad it was on my own turf. My ancestors weren’t
just Rhode Islanders. I was Nephilim. We survived King David, the
flood, and the yellow fever epidemic of 1797. My husband was half
angel. I could stand up to whatever they could throw at me. That
was what I would keep telling myself, anyway. No sense in worrying
myself to death about it.
    “ What is that?” Jared
said, referring to whatever emotion he was sensing.
    I shrugged. “Courage, I think,” I
said. “We