AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“If you’re having trouble keeping your eyes off it, it’s not my problem,” Lucian said dryly.
Alaric looked at me. “You know, that’s the first time I’ve caught Lucian completely nude with someone before. He must really like you.”
“Alaric,” Lucian said. “As much as I appreciate the daring rescue, I need you to stop talking.”
I turned to look behind the car toward the docks. I could still see brief flashes of light illuminating the containers sporadically. I could hear what now sounded like pops from distant fireworks. And…
I squinted.
I thought I saw a huge black shape rise above the containers and swoop back down again. I shook my head. Nope. Did not just see that.
Except the only thing I had to look at when I peeled my eyes from the gunfight was Lucian as he sat completely naked in the driver’s seat of the car. The only slight mercy was that the center console was keeping me from having a full view of everything. But I could see enough to learn that my body clearly didn’t care if it was in danger of being torn to shreds—hot naked guy was still hot naked guy, and all the proper internal alarms and procedures had been activated.
We had only driven a couple minutes when Lucian brought the car to a stop and nakedly got out to check the trunk for spare clothes. Alaric said something about going to make sure Vlad was okay, then sprinted off with his eye-defying vampire speed.
When Lucian came back in the car, I had trouble not laughing at what he was wearing. He had on some sort of faded polo with a company logo on the chest and slacks that were several sizes too small. Because of his freakish good looks, he managed to make mismatched, dated clothes look like a bold fashion-forward statement, though.
“Nice,” I said. “I think those are women’s pants.”
“Not anymore.”
He turned the car on and started driving.
“Aren’t we waiting for Alaric?”
“He’ll be fine. We need to find a place to lay low for a little while, and then we can decide what to do next.”
Lucian’s “place to lay low” ended up being a bridge overlooking the river. He pulled the car down a gravely incline off the road and brought it to rest beside the bridge. We both got out and I took in the view of the inky water reflecting the stars overhead. The night looked cold, but I was surprised to notice that I didn’t feel it at all.
Once we were both out of the car, Lucian began running his hands up and down my arms, then kneeling to check my legs.
I smiled down at him. “This is the third time you’ve frisked me, you know.”
“I’m aware,” he said. “And I would appreciate if you stopped getting involved in gunfights so I could stop checking you for bullet holes.”
“If gunfights mean you’ll keep putting your hands on me, I may make a habit of getting into them.”
He straightened, hands still wrapped around my waist. He tugged me a little closer until our bodies collided—my head only reaching to his chest. He hugged me then, holding me tight and rubbing my hair with one hand.
It was tender, and I closed my eyes, leaning into it.
“I was worried,” he said, voice rumbling from his chest straight into my ear.
“I was, too. I thought maybe you would do something crazy like coming by yourself to rescue me and getting yourself caught in the process.”
Lucian chuckled. “It wasn’t my finest moment of planning. But I’ve got you back.”
“Until the next time you disappear on me, at least,” I said.
He cupped my face, pulling me back so he could lean down and look into my eyes. His gaze was like the blackness of the sky, vast and magnetic, full of the promise of an endless eternity. “I will always protect you.”
“I don’t just want your protection, Lucian. I want you. I want you to realize it’s more important for us to be together than it is for me to be safe.”
“I won’t sacrifice you.”
“It’s not your choice.” I punched my fist against his chest, frustration boiling over. “I decided to love you. Okay? That was my stupid decision. But it’s too late to hope I’ll change my mind, because I’m stubborn as hell and I’m not going to. Do you get that? I love you and your stupid fangs. I love you and your obnoxious but adorable quirks. And even when you’re trying your hardest to push me away, I still love you enough that I don’t care what happens, as long as we’re together.”
Lucian’s nostrils flared and his eyes fell. He looked back at me and started to lean in for a kiss.
I put my fingers on his lips, shaking my head. “No. Nope. You do not get to just kiss your way out of telling me how you feel. Because I can already see it. You’re thinking whatever you’re thinking but knowing that you’ll still try to get out of my life at the first opportunity because it’s what’s best for me.”
