Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 106600 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 533(@200wpm)___ 426(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106600 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 533(@200wpm)___ 426(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
“He is a fool. We have cut him off and have been ignoring him. This reeks of more than desperation. He’s becoming a danger,” Ardan says, causing to me to realize I’ve left my thoughts open.
“What do you plan to do?”
“He would never make it past Aravos. Whoever is selling Candido this promise, they’re lying to him. Besides, since Lee’s arrival, we’ve implemented coin access. If you don’t have a coin, you can’t get in.”
I sigh. “Lee. I want to spend more time with her. You know, so I can build more trust and start to get to know her, but Reilly doesn’t allow her to breathe. What’s the deal with him smothering her?”
“Not my story to tell. He has his reasons. I didn’t think it would manifest to this extent, but I understand.”
My stomach growls as if I didn’t just wolf down two loaded hot dogs. I’ve been eating more since we started training yesterday. I guess it’s all the energy and magic I’ve been using.
Ardan laughs as he disappears once again as we pull up to the precinct. I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to him doing that. I park and make a mental note to order something once at my desk.
Climbing from the car, I get out and pull my phone out to check my emails. I’m waiting on a few test results to come in on a case. I bump into someone and almost drop my phone.
“Sorry,” I murmur and look up. “Hey, Car, what are you doing here?”
“Only place I know to find you these days. You’re never at your apartment, you don’t come by the gym, you’re never at dinner with Papi, so here I am,” he says.
“In the middle of my shift?”
Ardan growls so loud in my head, it sends a shiver through me. I hate being cornered like this. Carson should know better. I try to remain even to keep from setting Ardan off, I can feel him ready to break free of the pendent.
“Since when is that a problem. You have shown up on me, and I used to drop by with dinner for you all the time. What changed?” Carson bites out.
“Where’s dinner?” I challenge.
He purses his lips and rolls his eyes at me. I place my hands on my hips and glare back. I’m getting that weird vibe from him again.
Something is off and it goes beyond him being upset with me. It’s like animosity is pulsing off him. I can almost taste it in the air.
My hands begin to tingle and that feeling in my gut begins to stir. However, what catches my attention is the feel of Ardan leaving the necklace. That’s the last thing I wanted.
“I didn’t bring dinner because I didn’t know if I was wanted around anymore.”
“Hey, baby girl.”
I close my eyes and groan. As I inhale deeply, heat envelops my back. The feeling of being in a warm bath takes over me.
“I got your text about being hungry and picked you up something to tide you over,” Ardan says.
I open my eyes and find him holding a bag of food up for me to see. My mouth waters and my stomach growls loudly. This man.
“Thanks,” I say and take the bag.
“Yeah, I get it. Call me when you remember who you are, Billy,” Car seethes and storms off.
I don’t bother to call after him because I don’t like the feeling I get when he’s around. I turn to face Ardan and he’s glaring in the direction Carson just went.
“Calm down,” I say, placing a hand on his chest.
“He smells odd. I want you to stay away from him. His human scent has been compromised. I don’t know why yet, and I can’t just confront him and reveal myself,” Ardan says tightly.
“I don’t know what you’re smelling, but I do feel like something is off about him. Is there a way I could check?”
“No.”
“There is, you just don’t want me to know,” I accuse.
He grunts and looks down into my eyes. “Finish your shift. We will talk when we get home.”
“Ardan—”
“No.”
Without another word, he vanishes. I know he’s back in the necklace, as the weight of it makes itself known between my breasts. I sigh and head inside to eat and get to work. Hopefully, I won’t be called out again tonight.
Ardan
I’m still fuming from Carson’s visit to Billy’s station. I know I’m not crazy. Something was off about him. He smelled less like a human and more like one of my mother’s kind.
I’m aware those hunters are still out there, but attacking him could be a trap. They could have placed their scent on him just to cause me to harm a human. I can feel that Billy still cares about him, which is the other reason I didn’t rip him apart as soon as I caught the scent.