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Ugh, at least she no longer wanted to tidy those curls, Shaw’shands clenched into fists, fighting the urge to punch that dimple out ofKaleb’s head. He thought he was so cute, so funny, and that he could manipulateher. So not going to happen. “You think you know me so well, don’t you?”
“I do know you… inside and out.”
“Yeah, right. Speaking of which. What the hell gave you the ideayou had the right to speak to my parents?”
“Okay, yes, I might have erred slightly on that front. But onlybecause they scare me shitless, and I failed to factor in how much they loveyou. On the bright side, they didn’t kill me, which bodes well for all futureinteractions.”
Oh, Shaw suddenly got with the programme, her stomach leaden, herheart physically aching. It all made sense now. Why he was leaving her gifts,and trying to smooth things over between them. Making nice with herparents. Why he kept finding excuses to visit Valkyrie Headquarters. Why he waspartying at Valkyrie hangouts. Doh, she was so stupid. “So, it’s official then?You’re dating Zuri?”
Kaleb threw his hands up in the air. “I’m not dating your sister.This is all about you, you numbskull!” He was beyond furious at Shaw.Seriously? Any idea of a long-con, of luring this Valkyrie to claim him sailedout the window. He was just too fucking mad right at this moment.
“Hey.” Shaw protested the insult to her intelligence.
“I know you can be blinkered and obtuse. Look at how your bloodyknee injury prevented you from figuring out for an entire year that being Headof Legal is a perfect fit for you. But you must have some clue as to what isgoing on between us?”
Us? Him and her? For some reason Kaleb’s declaration that theywere an us got stuck in Shaw’s head on a loop. A tiny flicker of hope flaringlow in her gut, which she tried desperately to quash. Because her and thegorgeous suave Demon? Yeah, they made no sense together. “There is no… us.”
“Yes. There. Is. Your sisters know it. Your parents know it. EveryValkyrie in the Lucifer-damned Empire knows it.”
“This is the first time I’ve seen you in a month, so quit yellingat me and stop talking nonsense. We… are not a we. We can’t be.” Cold hardlogic was what was required here. Shaw tamping down on that flicker of hopehard, sounding so utterly and entirely convinced. Those final three wordscutting deeply into Kaleb like no physical weapon could.
“Why not?”
“Because I say so. I think you’re still high on adrenalin thanksto our little adventure together.”
“That was almost a month ago. The adrenalin has well and trulyworn off. Shaw, I’ve taken three-hundred and ninety four turns around Hell.I’ve played, dallied, danced, drunk and yes, flirted and fucked. I did socasually, with little thought but to enjoy the moment. I never made promises.Never wanted to make them. Yet, here I stand, declaring loud and proud… youmake me want to be a different… better Demon.”
“I know you, Kaleb Chipp. I see behind the mask you wear. Thecalculation and scheming going on. The non-stop blather you use to misdirecteveryone. Having them look left whilst you are stealing something on the right.That smile and dimple don’t fool me for one second. You think I don’t see rightthrough all the smoke and mirrors. Whatever game you’re playing here, with me,it ends right now. No more gifts. Or selfies. Stop spending time with my folksand my friends, and just leave me alone.”
By the Nine Circles of Hell. He had heinously erred.
Kaleb liked games. He was very, very good at them. But Shaw, shedespised them. She valued truth. Favoured the most direct path.
Problem was, he was hamstrung by his very DNA. When it came toConflict Demons, the female had to be the one to claim the male. It could be assimple as saying I claim you. Or as off-hand as a cousin of Galen’s whosegirlfriend told him to take out the garbage. But the way she said it - theywere told - clearly indicated she meant every week for the rest of their lives.Bang, claimed.
Of course the male could refuse. But when the claiming was right,fated if you will, the male could barely conceive of refusing. Once theclaiming took place, within a few days or weeks the male Conflict Demon wouldundergo Knustabber. A powering up of both his strength and feeding abilities.Making him more capable of protecting his mate and their future off-spring ifthey chose to have any.
Thanks to magic Kaleb couldn’t blurt out that he loved Shaw.Although he’d already hinted that he had big feelings for her, and she’dblocked him. Basically telling him his quest was hopeless. Leave her alone.
It was going to hurt. But what choice did Kaleb have but torespect Shaw’s wishes? He wanted to make her happy, and if his absence in herlife would do that, then he would bow out.
Rounding the desk, he reached for one of her hands, pleased thatshe allowed him this final physical contact. Bending, placing a soft kissacross her knuckles. “Thank you.”
Stomach clenching, Shaw wondered why those two words sounded morelike goodbye. Which is exactly what she’d demanded from Kaleb. Why then did itfeel like he’d scooped her heart out of her chest, replacing it with nothingbut a deadened rock? Crap, this was all so confusing.
Her head and… gut… her instincts were at war.
Kaleb’s insistence that they were an… us, was utter nonsense. Herand him? Please. Though they did make rather an excellent team when they neededto work together. Hmmm, then there was the sex… so very, very adequate. Highpraise indeed.
But she’d never been part of an us before. Would no doubt bespectacularly bad at it. How long before she would ruin it all? Which broughtShaw up short. Was she afraid of trying? That wasn’t the Valkyrie way. But ithurt right this minute to cut ties with Kaleb. It would be a thousand timesworse at some future date, after she’d gotten used to having him in her lifeand come to depend upon him. Watching that sparkle in his eyes dim after sheeventually messed everything up would annihilate her.
Damn, didn’t that sound cowardly.
Tugging her hand away abruptly, Shaw stood, intending to leave.That was when she saw the large parcel sitting on a sofa located across theroom. A familiar looking green ribbon wrapped around it. “What’s that?” Curseher curiosity, she should be heading for the door, or at least the window.
“I was going to drop it off tomorrow, whilst you were attendingyour weekly Department Heads’ meeting. You might as well take it with you.”
Shaw fully intended to ignore the gift but somehow found herselfstanding over it, tugging away the ribbon, tearing into the white tissue paper.Sucking in a tight breath she stared down at Kaleb’s offering. “How did youknow?” She’d been very careful to keep him out of her bedroom, her privatesanctuary. Somehow though he’d guessed. Gathering up the incredibly soft angorahandmade blanket. Shaw had to resist the urge to rub her cheek against it.Instead focusing on the design, depicting glorious fluffy clouds skiddingacross a summer blue sky. This would look perfect in her bedroom, the only roomin her house painted blue.
