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“Hey, cuz.” Adrian pulled on my arm. “I’m glad to see you happy. I do want what’s best, and if you swear this is and you know what you’re fucking doing, then I’ve got your back.”
“Thanks,” I managed to say past the sudden lump in my throat. That meant a lot to me.
Chapter 38 – Talia
Icouldn’t sleep. Iknew it would be hours before Drakos came back.No, Constantine.The name felt so right on my tongue. With a groan, I flung myself from the bed. There was a dim nightlight in his closet, and in the heavy shadows of our room, I paced the floor. Over the last few days, I’d barely had any clothing on that it hadn’t been imperative to move anything to this space yet. But now that he was out of town for the night, I considered filling my time with the menial task of relocating my stuff.
I snatched a robe off the bed, deciding against shoes. When my stomach rumbled loudly, I decided to grab a snack first, and then I would work as long as it took to move my things. I trailed down to the main floor and then into the kitchen.
As I looked through the cupboards, my mind turned to the memory of our conversation earlier this afternoon. It had been one of the longest we’d had. While in the bath, I’d asked Constantine how we were going to throw off my father. Constantine said he had some ideas, and I was the key to luring the devil out. However, now that I was a willing participant, there was no need to manipulate me into the schemes. A smile played on my lips as I recalled how I’d protested, how Constantine had captured my fist, how his eyes had heated as he placed a kiss on the inside of my wrist. I couldn’t wait until he returned from whatever smuggling business had taken him down to LA. Not only did I want the plans finalized on how we would end this blood feud, but...I missed my husband.
Taking a can of soda and the poorly made sandwich I’d thrown together, I gazed longingly at the bags of chips. Screw it. I grabbed one of those too and went to sit in the front sitting room. I set down my picnic and curled onto the floor, the footstool as my table. This was freedom. I could eat what I wanted, wear what I wanted, and not be bullied. Because that was what my brother and father were—bullies. Excuses had always come easy for their behavior. It made me angry to realize how much I’d wanted to please my sire, and how I’d let even the most reprehensible instances pass.
With a growl, I ripped open the chip bag. The crunchy triangles spilled everywhere. I rose to collect them, and it was then I saw lights speeding up the drive.Constantine!He was back. And here I was, shoving my face with a midnight snack. A tingle rushed up my spine. He wasn’t supposed to be here yet, not until late in the afternoon.
I should rush upstairs and brush my teeth, then pretend to sleep so he comes to see me.I abandoned the picnic, pulse spiking in anticipation. During the eight hours he’d been gone, an ache had pounded in my chest. I dashed into the foyer, about to run back upstairs when the vehicle lights pointed right through the windows along the front door. I stopped short. Constantine wasn’t driving around back. It was him, right? I crept forward, peering through the side windows. The vehicle loitered there, still pointed at the house. My gut clenched, a premonition seizing me. It was indeed his sporty European coup. All plans of seduction abandoned, I sprinted to the front door, unlocked it, and ran into the night.
I met Constantine’s gaze through the windshield. In the glow of the dash, he looked—ghastly. No.No!
I rushed to the driver’s door as he reached over and cracked it open. I dropped into the opening, struggling to take it all in.
There was so much blood. The tang assaulted my nose.
“Oh God, Constantine!”
“Pretty rough night, princess.” He half-smiled, reaching for me.
I gripped his sticky fingers, eyes scanning his torso to catch the damage. “Bullet?”
“Three.”
Oh hell! I took the pulse in his wrist. Weak. I swallowed. This was bad. He was lucky he’d made it back home and not passed out in the car.
“Talia, look at me.”
I obeyed, mind frantic.
