Lark still looked unconvinced, but she nodded anyway.
After another ten minutes of her threatening to personally murder anyone who hurt me while Nathan, a worried look on his face, tried to calm her down, we finally hung up with promises to meet soon. Finally, the room went quiet.
I let myself fall backward across the bed, staring straight up at the massive glass ceiling overhead.
Nothing about this felt real. Not the room. Not the view. Not the fact that less than two days ago I’d been sleeping beside engine parts, and now I was living in a hidden penthouse owned by the Syndicate.
A nervous flutter kept moving through my chest every time I thought about it too hard. Like reality was winding up for a punch.
Then my phone buzzed with an incoming message.
Rack:I’ll be there in ten minutes.
I shot upright so fast the blankets tangled around my legs.
“Oh shit.”
One second later, I was sprinting across the room… or trying to.
Instead, I launched myself halfway into a wall because vampire speed apparently required finesse.
“Okay,” I muttered while peeling myself off the wall. “Need to work on that.”
By the time I showered and dressed, I’d accidentally overshot three doorways, nearly ripped the bathroom handle off, and scared myself twice while looking in the mirror because I moved too fast.
Still, when I tugged the jeans up properly and looked down at the outfit Rack had left me, my mouth curved despite myself.
White tank top. Dark fitted jeans. Black leather jacket. Rose designs running down both sleeves.
My fingers slowly brushed over the stitching, and a smile threatened hard enough that I bit my lip to hold it back.
How the hell did he know I’d love this?
Maybe he didn’t. Maybe he got lucky… but still. It felt… thoughtful. Dangerously thoughtful.
Two minutes later, I headed downstairs just as the front door opened. Rack stepped inside, immediately slowing when his eyes landed on me.
For a second, he just stared, not in a creepy way, though. More like the sight of me had caught him off guard.
“You ready?” he asked finally, holding his hand out casually.
I decided right then to test my speed again. Big mistake.
My hand snapped into his so fast I nearly yanked him forward, and when my fingers closed around his, vampire strength kicked in automatically and I squeezed way too hard. My eyes widened.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean?—”
Rack’s whole face lit up before I could finish. “Looks like you’re getting the hang of it.” The warmth in his voice caught me off guard.
I stared up at him for a second too long, getting distracted again by those strange midnight dusk-colored eyes streaked with silver. How was someone like him this gentle? Was it really just because I was his Flame? The concept still made no sense in my head.
He gave my hand a small tug toward the door.
“Come on,” he said. “We’ve got a lot to get.”
***
The drive started quietly. I kept sneaking glances at him while the city blurred outside the window. Eventually, curiosity won.
