Authors: Colleen Gleason
She stepped in front of him and wrapped her arms around his waist, not wanting to ever let him go. She couldn’t believe she’d nearly lost him. The thought was almost unbearable. And then she thought about how he’d gone down there to confront them on purpose. “Oh my God, Toryn, you could’ve been killed.” She punched her fists on his chest in frustration. “Why did you do that? We should have left an anonymous tip with the authorities and let them handle it.”
He shook his head, urging her forward. “It wouldn’t have done any good.”
She took a few steps then stopped. “Why?”
“Because it’s happened before, Keely. Countless times. Those men were soldiers.”
“Soldiers? You mean Cascadians?”
Toryn’s eyes darkened as the sirens grew louder.
“Come on. We’ve got to get out of here. This is a military operation.”
“Toryn, you’re not making any sense. How do you know all this?”
He pressed his lips together into a thin line. “The bastard with the gun told me, confirming what I already knew. Said the army wanted the bridge blown up and told them to make it look like the work of Cascadians.”
Her head was spinning. None of this made sense. “And why would he tell you that?”
“Because he was planning on killing me. And because
I’m
Cascadian.”
Toryn fucked up. And he wasn’t sure what he could do to fix things.
As soon as they arrived at Sisters, Keely rushed across the floor of the shop to the stairs leading up to the apartment.
“Keely, wait,” Toryn said, following closely behind. “We need to talk about this.”
She ignored him, kicked off her sneakers at the bottom of the stairs and started up. He grabbed her hand and stopped her.
“Please, Keely, let me explain. Don’t shut me out like this.”
She spun around, hazel eyes blazing. “What’s there to explain? I thought you cared about me, and then you drop
that
on me?”
Her words felt like a slap across the face. She despised him. He disgusted her. He thought about letting her go and leaving. Walking out the door behind him and not coming back. After all, if she were truly repulsed by the fact that she’d been sleeping with one of those
terrible barbarians from Cascadia
, then why would he want to be with her?
And yet, something told him that maybe her anger was because she was hurt.
“I do care about ye,” he said, not bothering to hide his accent. He didn’t want to lay his heart bare, but he was going to have to if he wanted to get through to her. “I never expected to develop feelings for ye, Keely—I tried so bloody hard not to—but when I did, I was afraid that if ye learned the truth about me, you’d kick my ass to the curb and want nothing more to do with me.”
“So you lied.”
He raked a hand through his hair. “I wasn’t completely honest.”
“There’s a difference?”
She tried to pull away from him, but he wouldn’t let her go. “Listen to me, Keely. I—”
“Why would you think I’d do that?” Her cheeks were two bright spots of color. “Do you think I’m that shallow? That a person’s birthplace or nationality is a checkmark on a list of acceptable traits for my ideal man?”
“I wanted to tell ye, but when I learned that your family believes my people were responsible for the bomb that injured your mom, I was— Well, I didn’t know how you’d react.”
Anger simmered behind her eyes. “You’ve been nothing but wonderful to me and yet you think I’d be incapable of accepting you? Jeez, Toryn, I’m the one who’s used to not been accepted.”
“I’m an Iron Guild warrior and we
are
coming over here to fight your army, so it would be logical for ye to abhor me. Blame me as a proxy for what happened to your mom. I know I probably would, if I were in your shoes.”
“Seeing what I did today,” she said, rubbing a hand over her face, “I doubt that your people were even responsible for my mom’s accident.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I don’t think you trusted me to keep your secret. Is that it? Did you think I would go to the authorities?”
His gaze snapped to hers. “Of course not. I had to be careful at first, sure, but it became clear to me early on that ye would never do something like that.”
“Then why, Toryn?” Her voice was soft. “Why not tell me tell me the truth?”
He looked away, his heart pounding in his ears. Why was she pushing him like this? Hadn’t he told her enough? He didn’t want to admit to her one of his darkest fears, but if he didn’t, he would lose her. “It’s just that…I’ve been betrayed by people I’ve cared about, so trusting comes hard for me.”
“What happened to you?” she asked gently.
“I was a young warrior and fell for a girl I thought loved me back. Turned out all she wanted was to use me to get through a portal and make a life for herself here. Without me.”
Keely was quiet for a moment. “And you thought I would do the same thing? Hurt you like she hurt you?”
“I…I didn’t know.”
At first he thought she was upset, but then she leaned down, cupped his face in her hands and kissed him, her lips so soft and tender against his. “I’m falling for you, Toryn, so I sincerely hope that you can learn to trust me.”
His heart thudded in his chest at her admission. “I’ll
try,
Kitten,” he said thickly. “That’s the best I can do for now. Okay?”
She was silent for so long he feared that it
wasn’t
okay.
“As long as you’ll try,” she said. “That’s all I can ask.”
Then he swept her into his arms and carried her up the stairs.
They made love in the shower, just as he had fantasized. After washing away the sweat and stress from the morning, he splayed her hands on the tile wall and took her from behind, holding onto that sweet ass of hers as he buried himself inside her. Rivulets of water ran down her back and dripped from her full breasts, making it easy for his hands to slide over every luscious curve.
He brushed her wet hair aside, nuzzling the back of her neck right above the butterfly tattoo on her shoulder, and chuckled with satisfaction as she shivered. As his cock slid through the liquid heat of her tight channel, the pressure in his balls increased. Soft moans escaped her lips as he fondled her clit and touched the juncture where his body disappeared into hers. She cried out his name as she came, her inner muscles clenching around him, milking his release. A moment later he joined her, his hoarse groans echoing off the tile walls while molten pleasure pulsed out of him.
When they were finished, he pulled out of her and discarded the condom. She turned to face him, slipping her arms around him and pressing her body close. Her cheeks were flushed, her wet hair hanging in thick strands around her upturned face.
She’d never looked more beautiful.
“That was a much better start to the morning, don’t you think?”
“Mmmm,” he rumbled against her ear. “I agree. Much better.”
***
A short time later, they sat against the headboard, legs entwined, sharing a delicious breakfast scramble that Toryn had made. She hadn’t felt much like eating, but he’d insisted.
“Is it true that those with Talents have Cascadian blood in them?” she asked, trying to keep her mind off the fact that Becca should be here this afternoon.
If
she’d been telling the truth.
If
she wasn’t high and forgot.
If
Mr. Reaux let her go.
He nodded. “While not every Cascadian has a Talent—it often skips generations—many are gifted.”
She took a bite that he offered her and chewed it thoughtfully. “Why is it just over there? Why aren’t there more Talents over here?”
“Have you heard of the Obsidian Wars?”
She frowned. “It sounds vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t tell you why.”
“Doesn’t surprise me,” he said grimly. “If a historical event isn’t passed down to subsequent generations, it’s as if it never happened.”
“Can you tell me?”
Toryn set the plate aside and she settled against his chest. His voice rumbled in her ear as he spoke.
“The Obsidian Wars happened many years ago, stemming from a jealousy between brothers. Two of the brothers had Talents, one did not. Each had his own kingdom. After their father died, there was a power struggle based on jealousy and greed. The brother without a Talent coveted what he didn’t have and eventually war broke out. Finally, after many years of bloodshed, the Three Fates stepped in and divided up the worlds with portals, separating the brothers. Although that stopped the war, it didn’t stop Pacificans from trying to seek the magic of our world.”
“Most people here believe Cascadians come through the portals to terrorize us,” she said, rubbing her hand absently over his washboard abs.
“That is the prevailing thought, yes, but the opposite is actually the truth.”
“So our army goes over there? For what reason?”
A dark, brooding look crossed his face. “They are trying to find the
fata-magic
and want to bring it back here to use.”
“
Fata
?”
“From the Fates. The magic that resides inside many Cascadians that gives us our Talents.”
Her eyes narrowed. “So if the magic is
in
you, how do they, the army, get it?”
“They come for our children.”
Keely’s hand stilled. “
What
?”
Toryn shook his head sadly. “They take the wee ones and bring them over here in the hopes that they’ll develop a Talent that can be later exploited.”
“And what happens to the parents in Cascadia?”
Anger flared in his eyes and he exhaled roughly. “They kill them.”
She felt like throwing up. Families being torn apart, people killed. “And what’s Davin Reaux’s role in all this?” She almost didn’t want to know.
“In return for financing some of the army’s missions, he gets to keep the bounty. Precious artifacts from our abbeys and monasteries that he can sell over here on the black market for huge sums of money.”
“Precious artifacts?”
He nodded. “Handcrafted swords and weapons. Jewelry. Religious relics. Everything disintegrates during a portal crossing, unless it’s iron-based or encased in an iron receptacle. Those who carry these objects through usually die though.”
Her mouth dropped open in shock. “Someone dies? Who’d sign up for that?”
“Simple,” Toryn said. “The army doesn’t tell them. The poor young recruit who carries dense metal objects through the portal has no idea he’s going to die as soon as he gets to the other side.”
The window repairs had just been completed when the bell over the shop door rang. At first Keely thought one of the workers had left something behind and was coming back to get it, but when she looked up, it was her sister walking through the door.
“Becca!” She rushed over and tackle-hugged her.
“Whoa,” her sister said with a laugh, extracting herself and setting her handbag—one that Keely had never seen before—on the counter. “You’d think I’ve been gone for months instead of a week.”
Without removing her sunglasses, she waltzed into the shop, bringing with her a heavy dose of perfume as her gold strappy heels clicked on the wood floor. She wore an off-the-shoulder sheer top, skinny jeans, and gold bangle bracelets that clinked with every movement—all new.
“I’ve been worried sick about you,” Keely breathed, leaning against the counter for support. “Thank God you’re back.”
Becca flicked a hand in front of her face as if she were flicking away Keely’s concern. “What are you talking about? I called you and told you I was fine.”
Keely was surprised by her sister’s haughty tone. This wasn’t like her. Becca could be bossy and impatient sometimes, just like any older sister, but she’d never sounded like this before. Keely caught a whiff of cigarette smoke and stale alcohol as she walked past. “What’s with the shades?”
“They’re new. All this is new,” Becca said, holding out her arms in a game show hostess sort of way.
Keely scowled. “Yeah, I noticed. And most people take off their sunglasses when they’re inside. Especially when the sun isn’t out.”
Becca put a hand to her forehead. “Stayed up late last night partying and drinking, that’s all. I woke up with a wicked hangover and my eyes hurt.”
Keely followed her upstairs. Becca’s thick blond hair, while looking good from the front, looked unwashed from behind.
“Want me to turn on the shower?” she asked. In this old building, it always took a while for the hot water to kick in. “Do you need some Tylenol? I can grab you some from the medicine cabinet.”
“Thanks, but I’m not staying long.” Becca opened her dresser and started throwing some clothes into a suitcase. “Can you grab my makeup bag while you’re in there?”
It felt as if someone had just punched her in the stomach. Sure, Becca had told her on the phone that she was only coming by to pick up a few things, but Keely had hoped she’d changed her mind. “You’re not staying? Why? Where are you going?”
“We’ve discussed this already.” There was that note of irritation again.
“No, we haven’t.”
“I told you, the other girls and I are staying out on a private yacht.”
What the hell?
“A private yacht? You told me nothing about this, Becca. This is the first I’m hearing about it.”
“I can’t help it if you don’t listen to me when I talk. I distinctly remember telling you all about it on the phone the other day.” She let out an exasperated breath. “We’re working a big VIP event and this is part of our training. There are some very important people coming in for this, and every detail needs to be perfect.”
“You’re staying on Mr. Reaux’s boat?” She seriously felt as if she were getting sick.
“Jesus, Keely, it’s not a boat. It’s a private yacht. Big difference. We’ve all got our own staterooms. We’re going on a dry run tomorrow, out to international waters.” She held up a string bikini. “Do you think I should bring this?”
Okay, giant red flag. Massive.
“Becca, listen to me. Heading out to international waters with a man like Mr. Reaux is just plain dangerous. You shouldn’t go back there.”
Her sister laughed. “That’s crazy talk. You’ve never met him. He’s a very wonderful and generous man.”