AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We’ll follow you,” I say, glancing to the front, and Silas nods in understanding. Seline, however, winks, an amused smile dancing on her lips. I catch myself just as a laugh is about to slip out, and Seline’s grin vanishes at her father’s glare.
And that’s my cue.
I slip out from the backseat and stride towards the parked cars as though I know which one I’m looking for, leaving Arsenio to close the van door and catch up.
“Stop wasting time,” I throw over my shoulder, hastening my pace and hiding the smug grin that tugs on my lips as the pace of his footsteps increases behind me.
“Do you even know which car is mine?” He chuckles, draping an arm around my shoulders as he catches up with me.
I’m about to answer when his hand grips my shoulder tighter, pulling me to a stop—in front of a bright red sports car.
“No,” I say simply, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Yes.” He grins, spinning me to face him.
“There is no way we’re taking this,” I huff. “The point of tonight is to not get caught. If we take this thing, we’re guaranteed to catch someone’s attention.”
“Fine,” he sighs, dragging his feet like a petulant child to the vehicle next to it. “I guess we’ll take the boring one.” The ‘boring one’ is an armored van, making me think he was possibly testing me with how easily he gave up.
I shake my head in exasperation, doing my best to keep the smile that begs to tug at my lips at bay.
“But next time, we’re taking the Porsche,” he declares, opening the passenger door for me.
“Why is that?” I ask as I stroll to his side. I lift a leg up into the van, nearly inside, when his rough palm gently grasps my arm, pulling me to a stop.
I turn to face him and suck in a sharp breath at the way his eyes spark, drinking in every detail as they flick up to meet mine.
“Because I can see that fire inside you, Skylar,” he breathes, his lips mere inches from mine. “I want to show you all the things in life that will bring it out, make it burst to life like wildfire. I have a feeling the engine purring beneath you, the wind in your hair, and the freedom of the open road will unlock that wild side I’m dying to see.”
His words entrance me nearly as much as his eyes, and I almost want to change my mind, just to see if what he said is true. My throat dries, the words getting lost on my tongue as the connection between us pulses. I never thought I’d have a mate like Arsenio—that wild, dangerous energy is something I’ve never experienced before, but he calls to something deep within my soul.
“Buckle up, firecracker, because you haven’t seen anything yet.” His words catch me off guard, and he wraps an arm around my leg still outside the car, lifting me the rest of the way onto my seat before he closes the door, leaving me stunned.
My pulse pounds in my ears, seemingly keeping pace with his footsteps as he strides over to the driver’s side.
I’m so screwed.
Thetreesgrowdenseras we drive along the nearly abandoned road out to the Langley stronghold. My limbs are buzzing with electricity as I sit next to Arsenio, his sure hands maneuvering the blacked-out armored van with ease. I feel a warm sense of comfort when I’m next to him, the bond beaming brightly between us, but I can’t shake off the excitement his words sparked within me.
I barely know anything about him, and a few weeks ago, that thought, coupled with the ease I feel when I’m near him, would’ve terrified me. But now, elation and anticipation thrum through me as his fire blazes, awakening mine—one that I thought was long since extinguished.
Casting furtive glances his way, a million questions are poised on the tip of my tongue. He knows just how to push my buttons. My mind has always been focused on what needs to be done, that duty and responsibility usually sitting at the forefront, but Arsenio distracts me from that. My thoughts have definitely drifted more times to the joy ride he promised than I’d like to admit.
That might be the most surprising thing of all. Ever since the night of the bear attack outside of Opal Moon when I’d been forced to drive, that fear has slowly ebbed away. The thought of a drive like Arsenio had described would have sent me straight into a panic a few months ago, but now—now it sounds almost freeing.
“Were you hiding from me today, firecracker?” he huffs out with a breath of amusement, jolting me from my thoughts. My heart thuds in surprise at the abrupt question, my brows furrowing as I glance at him.
“Why would you say that?”
“I could have helped you go through the plans tonight, and you could have had the meeting with Seline and Silas at the house.”
I frown as I attempt to read his expression, but his face is blank, the question holding no hurt or accusation like my defenses immediately expected. I honestly hadn’t even thought to bring them back to the Whitlock compound—the house…
“I’m not used to this, okay.” I slump back in my seat. “I was only just getting used to having a team around me at the manor, and now I can’t even go back there for the time being. I’m just trying to find my place, which has always been at Opal Moon.”
“Your place is with us,” he says simply, as though it should be obvious. “I know you can’t always be with us, but we all want you to be comfortable there. Our home is your home. Always.”
I let his words hang between us for a moment as my wolf preens with glee, my heart fluttering at his declaration of how simple this should be in his eyes. Can it really be that easy? Have I just been building up the roadblocks in my head? Of course, there will be learning curves—our packs used to be at odds and had only thought the agreement between us would be temporary—but with the bonds that tie us together, this connection will last a lifetime and beyond.
