Page 24 of Vengeance of the Gods

His eyes softened at her touch, his body relaxing. “Hey, about earlier. I went out after you, but I lost you somewhere around the Colosseum…” He trailed off, lifting his fingers to graze the bruises forming on Vega’s neck.

Vega fought against the need to back away. “It’s fine. I know you’re stressed,” she replied with the fakest sincerity she could muster. If it weren’t for Bridger, she’d break his arm for touching her. Instead, she closed her eyes and dressed her face with a somber smile. “You won’t do it again.”

“Never.” Chase raised his hand to Vega’s cheek, his touch burning like ice against her skin. “I’m so worried about you, about the damage the accident has caused. This world you’ve been dreaming of, I just…” He sighed dramatically, and it took everything inside Vega not to roll her eyes. “I don’t want you to get stuck there, to leave me and forget about the life we have together.”

Vega hummed, unsure she could say anything that wasn’t fuck you. Keeping her mouth shut was safer and would get her out quicker.

She had to get to the cafe.

The fucking portal…

Her mind raced. The portal. Bridger. All of it made her heart race.

Chase eventually dropped his hand, stepping around Vega to head into the kitchen, where he discarded his wallet into the catch-all bowl on the counter. “I was thinking we could watch one of your favorite shows tonight and curl up on the couch.”

Vega followed him, eyes scanning the room just in case. She let out a silent sigh of relief when Bridger was no longer taking up too much space in the compact apartment. “Did I not tell you?” she asked, cocking her head.

Chase turned around, leaning against the counter. “Tell me what?”

“Gods—shh.” She slipped, trying to cover it up and move on. “I’m sorry. It must have slipped my mind.” Vega put a strand of hair behind her ear, feigning innocence. “I have a group therapy session tonight. It starts at six.” She looked up at the clock. “And I’m already running late.”

Vega backed out of the kitchen, knowing Chase would follow her. “You didn’t put it on the calendar.”

Shrugging, Vega grabbed her coat off the back of the chair where she always left it. “It came up in this week’s session. I meant to tell you about it, but I never got the chance after… well…” She locked eyes with him, batting her eyelashes sadly. She didn’t have to say what he’d done.

He knows.

Chase came to stand next to Vega at the door. “No, no, this is good for you. You should definitely go.” He reached out to grab Vega by the waist, pulling her in for a kiss she dodged last second.

His lips met her cheek, and before he could try again, Vega reached for the door handle and snuck out. “I’ll see you in a few hours!” she called as she trotted down the hall.

The winters weren’t awful in Rome, but it was a little windy out as the sun sank below the cityscape. Vega pulled the collar of her coat up, ducking out the apartment building’s main door.

Vega hurried to the cafe down the block, remembering to turn off the tracking capabilities on her phone once out of view from her apartment’s living room window.

She tucked inside the cafe only minutes later, the fire flickering in the corner giving the room a warm glow. It was busier than she’d hoped for at this time of night. They’d be closing in a few hours, but it seemed the chilly weather had brought everyone out for a pre-dinner warm up.

Beside the fire, staring into the flames like they had the answer to everything, sat Bridger with his thumb hooked under his chin, lips resting against his curled index finger. He leaned into the elbow on the chair’s arm. His hair was mussed, a few strands falling out of place even when he ran his hand through it.

Bridger hadn’t felt Vega enter, giving her a moment to get lost in seeing him on Earth, in knowing he’d come here… to what? She wasn’t sure yet, but with her memories of him and all they’d been through fresh in her mind, Vega couldn’t help but fall into them—regardless of how dangerous she knew it was.

The good and the bad they’d shared could be enough to break them both.

He’d washed the blood off his chest and cleaned the wound at the apartment, buttoning his shirt one higher than he normally would to hide the slow-healing injury. He wore what might be casual in Tolevarre but was definitely leaning more business casual in this realm.

She’d dressed in an oversized T-shirt with a pair of leggings and her usual beat-up boots this morning. Vega didn’t have much to choose from in her closet, and even if she did, she preferred comfort over fashion.

Marlena had always been the best dressed sister.

Bridger must have finally paid attention to the tingle of his brand, the same sensation Vega felt too, because his head shot up and his dark eyes instantly found Vega staring at him.

She walked over, slipping out of her coat and draping it over the back of the couch across from Bridger.

He watched her every move, and as soon as she sat down, he asked, “Could the portal be your curse?”

Vega let out a puff of air that might be considered a laugh. “It almost feels too obvious.”

A waitress came by, and Vega ordered them a shot of espresso each. They were going to need the energy. Their lives were about to become pretty sleepless.