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At least the flyer would disintegrate once it left the gym thanks to a fae spell. Shaking my head in amusement, I continued toward the basement door and slipped inside our semi-underground sanctuary.
I wished I could be as carefree as she was. Maybe I would be someday, once Marissa was finished with school and able to stand on her own two feet. If that day ever came.
When I’d told her about the upcoming fight, my sister had jumped in to help without hesitation. She’d always wanted me to compete, not because she was proud of me but because she thought it would bring fame and fortune—for her.
Okay, that might have been too harsh.
She was proud of me, but she also wanted fame and fortune. Who could blame her? Most people seemed to want the same. As usual, I was the odd fish out.
We didn’t even know who I would fight against yet. Frankie was collecting names, and she didn’t want to rush the decision. Whoever it was, they needed to be among the best Subliminal had to offer to draw the biggest crowd possible. We’d even consider someone who hadn’t fought at our gym if word spread far and fast enough.
After feeding Finley some canned crab meat—yes, he usually ate better than I did—I took a quick shower before curling up on the corner of my bed. I grabbed the book I’d started the night before and cracked it open. I’d have the next hour all to myself to read in peace and quiet.
Only three pages in, my phone buzzed next to my leg. I glanced at it briefly, expecting a junk mail notification or something, and returned my attention to the book.
Then my brain caught up with what I’d read on the screen.
I snatched the phone up too quickly, fumbling it between my hands before I caught it and stared at the screen. My smile grew as I read the message again: Not kissing those delectable lips for two days is unacceptable.
Yes, somehow two days had passed since I’d last seen Dominic. In person, that is. I saw him every night in my dreams and just as often in my daydreams while cleaning. We’d both gotten caught up in our respective responsibilities, but I agreed with him completely—two days was too long.
A sharp knock came from the back door leading up to the street level.
I yelped and nearly dropped my phone again. Other than Marissa and me, no one ever used that door. No one could because Frankie had cast a glamour to hide it.
Finley chirped within his aquarium. A bubble floated out of his mouth as he swayed sleepily among the seaweed, his belly nice and full. He tilted his head to the side with an expression that said he was just as confused as I was.
My heart thudded wildly. I thought I’d been overly paranoid lately, thinking my father had finally found us. But maybe I wasn’t so paranoid after all.
I slipped off my bed and over to the wall, sliding closer to the door and holding a finger up to my lips to keep Finley quiet. There was no real reason to be sneaky. Without windows, no one could see I was home. But my yelp might have given me away.
The knock came again, and I jumped, pressing a hand to my chest. This was getting ridiculous. I could take care of myself.
Squaring my shoulders, I grabbed the closest thing that could act as a weapon and yanked open the door, ready to defend myself.
A man’s back was to me as he was about to head up the stairs. He turned around, one foot on the steps, and my brain practically melted.
Dominic.
Today, he wore something completely unexpected—black jeans that hugged his sculpted thighs and a black leather jacket over a white t-shirt that stretched tight across his pecs. A black helmet with the Sato’s fire dragon family crest painted across it was tucked under his arm.
A slight scruff covered his chin, the shadow effect accentuating his strong jaw, and his black hair was disheveled in a super sexy way that made me want to run my fingers through it.
Tides, he was so freaking beautiful.
“Nic? What are you doing here?”
“So you are home.” His deep amber gaze dipped to the object I gripped tight, and he grinned. “Expecting rain?
Hastily, I set the umbrella against the wall and slipped on some ratty sneakers I kept near the door. I stepped outside and closed the door, not wanting him to witness the mess that was living with Marissa. “Wait, how’d you see this door?”
His eyes swept over my body, glinting with a hint of humor. “The magic only keeps the non-Gifted from seeing it.”
Too late, I realized what I was wearing. Leggings and a faded, oversized shirt weren’t exactly what I’d want him to see me in. Or anyone, for that matter.
I tucked my wet hair behind my ears, trying to hide my discomfort but probably making it more obvious. Such was my luck. “Can I help you with something?”
“I want to take you somewhere,” he said and held out his hand.
