She struggled to hide her disappointment.“Oh, yes, of course.”
“I’m sure I’ll see you again soon,” Cole saidand gave her a pointed look that caused her toes to curl and ablush to creep up her neck.
He bowed his head to them. “Good day,ladies.”
He turned away, and Brokk duplicated thegesture while murmuring the same words.
Lexi watched them walk away before shuttingthe door and leaning against it. She closed her eyes as she triedto understand what happened. Malakai was pissed, and he would beback, but she couldn’t bring herself to care as she replayed Cole’swords in her mind.
“I’m sure I’ll see you againsoon.”
She was a fool for wanting him to returnwhile his brother remained in her tunnels. However, she hoped shesaw him again sooner rather than later. She just hoped it wasn’tanywhere near here.
“You should stay away from that man,” Sahiracautioned. “Anyone who would turn against their brother is someonewho would turn on you.”
She opened her eyes to find Sahira studyingher with a knowing look. She almost told Sahira she’d turn Orin intoo, but there was no way Lexi could explain howsheknewhim.
“I doubt I’ll be seeing him again,” Lexisaid.
“Hmm,” Sahira huffed as she folded her armsacross her chest. She looked a lot more skeptical about this thanLexi felt. “With the way he was looking at you, I think he’ll beback, and you should stay away.”
“Sahira—”
“He’s no good, Lexi. You’re also completelydifferent. He’s a seasoned warrior, a prince, and adarkfae. You know what they’re like with men and women.”
She did. She’d heard the stories about thetwisted sex fiends the fae could leave in their wake. Heard howthey went through sexual partners like most others went throughclothes, but she couldn’t bring herself to look at Cole likethat.
She was probably a fool for thinking he wasdifferent. She was sure plenty of other women probably convincedthemselves of the same thing, but she couldn’t believe he wasnothing but a callous immortal seeking only one thing from her… andevery other woman he met.
“He’s also part lycan,” Lexi said. “They’reknown to be notoriously free with their sexuality until they findtheir mate, and then they never waver from their partner.”
“Lexi—”
“I don’t know why we’re talking about this.Like you said, we’re completely different. He isn’t going to returnhere.”
The sadness those words evoked surprised her.She shouldn’t want him to return while Orin was here, or even afterOrin left, but… but… shedid.
“I need a shower,” she muttered.
“Would you like to finish our tea?” Sahiraasked.
She was too annoyed for tea right now. Colemight not return, but Malakai would, and she suspected he wouldmake her pay for the embarrassment he experienced today.
“No,” she murmured. “We’ll catch uptomorrow.”
“Okay.”
Lexi started to walk away, but she stoppedand turned back to her aunt. “What do you think Malakai is going todo?”
“Nothing, if he knows what’s good forhim.”
“That amulet proves he’s close to the Lord.With Father dead, he could make me marry Malakai.”
Sahira’s shoulders went back, and hernostrils flared. “Over my dead body.”
“That’swhat I’m afraid of, and we’vehad more than enough dead bodies.”
Some of the fight went out of Sahira. “Yourfather also fought for the Lord; he wouldn’t throw that away justto please Malakai.”
