His jaw was clenched. Hard. Was he worried about Nick? She’d be working with him in close proximity, as always. Now that she was no longer “with” the art professor, did she even care about the job? The pay was poor, and she wasn’t teaching. Elijah had been right all along. Getting her master of fine arts obviously wasn’t going to pay off—she was destined for a waitressing job as so many other art students were.
She’d been naive. Now she felt as though she didn’t know the person she had once been.
Monroe pressed a forefinger into the soft depression under her chin. The pressure made her meet his gaze. “You aren’t the same as those others, Magda. I can see your talent dancing in the folds of your mind.”
That imagery made her smile. “What is it dancing to?”
“This.” The radio flicked on suddenly, the notes of a ballad spinning through the main living space. The singer’s gritty voice drew a sigh from her. How did Monroe know this was one of her favorite songs?
With his mouth at her ear he swayed her lightly back and forth to the beat. “I know you, Magda.”
While some people might not appreciate the lack of mystery in a new relationship, it only warmed her that he was so familiar. Like slipping into a bath or drinking chamomile tea before bed. Routine that she never wanted to let go.
He twirled her in a circle. The voice grew louder until she felt as if it dug into her very skull and projected through her ears. Wrapping her arms around him, she explored his muscled back under her fingers and reveled in the way he cradled her so perfectly. Protectively.
“Will we shake the Free Wills eventually? Or will I be in hiding forever?” That she wanted to stay with him wasn’t a question. Only a few days, and she felt she’d known him for ages. She belonged at his side. But she didn’t want to live under a veil, hidden away.
“Not hiding,” he said low. Heat trickled between her thighs as if he’d dribbled hot oil there. He made a quiet noise in his chest but continued to sway her around the room. “And I hope to free you and the entire city from the renegades.”
She locked her knees, and their dance ended. She didn’t like his ominous tone. “What do you mean?”
He averted his gaze. She laid her fingers on his jaw and swung his head in her direction again. “Monroe. Talk to me.”
The radio switched off, and silence weighted the room, so deafening her ears buzzed.
“Monroe.” Thinking his name jolted him more than if she’d said it aloud.
“I shouldn’t speak of it. Someone is always listening to me.”
She jerked in his hold, fingers convulsing on his back. She dropped her hands. “I don’t like this.” While she was meant to place her life in his care to do with as he would, he didn’t trust her.
He drew her back into his embrace.
When he didn’t speak, her mind revolved around the thought that he didn’t trust her.
He caught her gaze for a long minute. Then, with lips pressed into a fine line, he ducked his head.
His words seemed to be amplified in her brain. “I’ve been asked to do something on behalf of my race that will provide us information about the Free Wills. They are amassing an army with the intention of taking over Helgedom. I think you can deduce why we don’t want such an event to take place.”
She shuddered. “So you’ll be…spying?”
He nodded, chafing his rough jaw against her soft one. “It’s why you can’t stay with me, Magda. I’ll take you home tonight and leave Keefe to watch over you while I’m away. It’s important not to leave your house until I contact you.”
“And I’ll use the time to speak with my father.”
His eyes were intense and hard in a way that frightened her. “You need to make him tell you everything he knows. Any information will help us to stop them.”
“How have I remained safe all these years?”
Monroe’s gaze was direct, piercing. Why couldn’t he feed from her? She craved it. Desire
She’d been naive. Now she felt as though she didn’t know the person she had once been.
Monroe pressed a forefinger into the soft depression under her chin. The pressure made her meet his gaze. “You aren’t the same as those others, Magda. I can see your talent dancing in the folds of your mind.”
That imagery made her smile. “What is it dancing to?”
“This.” The radio flicked on suddenly, the notes of a ballad spinning through the main living space. The singer’s gritty voice drew a sigh from her. How did Monroe know this was one of her favorite songs?
With his mouth at her ear he swayed her lightly back and forth to the beat. “I know you, Magda.”
While some people might not appreciate the lack of mystery in a new relationship, it only warmed her that he was so familiar. Like slipping into a bath or drinking chamomile tea before bed. Routine that she never wanted to let go.
He twirled her in a circle. The voice grew louder until she felt as if it dug into her very skull and projected through her ears. Wrapping her arms around him, she explored his muscled back under her fingers and reveled in the way he cradled her so perfectly. Protectively.
“Will we shake the Free Wills eventually? Or will I be in hiding forever?” That she wanted to stay with him wasn’t a question. Only a few days, and she felt she’d known him for ages. She belonged at his side. But she didn’t want to live under a veil, hidden away.
“Not hiding,” he said low. Heat trickled between her thighs as if he’d dribbled hot oil there. He made a quiet noise in his chest but continued to sway her around the room. “And I hope to free you and the entire city from the renegades.”
She locked her knees, and their dance ended. She didn’t like his ominous tone. “What do you mean?”
He averted his gaze. She laid her fingers on his jaw and swung his head in her direction again. “Monroe. Talk to me.”
The radio switched off, and silence weighted the room, so deafening her ears buzzed.
“Monroe.” Thinking his name jolted him more than if she’d said it aloud.
“I shouldn’t speak of it. Someone is always listening to me.”
She jerked in his hold, fingers convulsing on his back. She dropped her hands. “I don’t like this.” While she was meant to place her life in his care to do with as he would, he didn’t trust her.
He drew her back into his embrace.
When he didn’t speak, her mind revolved around the thought that he didn’t trust her.
He caught her gaze for a long minute. Then, with lips pressed into a fine line, he ducked his head.
His words seemed to be amplified in her brain. “I’ve been asked to do something on behalf of my race that will provide us information about the Free Wills. They are amassing an army with the intention of taking over Helgedom. I think you can deduce why we don’t want such an event to take place.”
She shuddered. “So you’ll be…spying?”
He nodded, chafing his rough jaw against her soft one. “It’s why you can’t stay with me, Magda. I’ll take you home tonight and leave Keefe to watch over you while I’m away. It’s important not to leave your house until I contact you.”
“And I’ll use the time to speak with my father.”
His eyes were intense and hard in a way that frightened her. “You need to make him tell you everything he knows. Any information will help us to stop them.”
“How have I remained safe all these years?”
Monroe’s gaze was direct, piercing. Why couldn’t he feed from her? She craved it. Desire
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