I smiled at her before withdrawing from her body. Quickly, I went to the bathroom and got a warm washcloth. I brought itback and made quick work of cleaning her before I lay at her side and hauled her against me.
She trailed her fingers gently along the planes of my muscles, making me smile at her touch.
After several long minutes, her soft voice called out, “Did you know about Enzo making the deal with Anson?”
“I found out about it after it was done. None of us knew, to my knowledge, until Enzo had already done it. He told us when we were helping out the kings.”
“Did it bother you?”
“Yes. I think you should make your own decision on this. In the beginning, I hated it, but now I get it. And Anson isn’t a bad guy. He’s grown on me. I really thought he might get the answers for Enzo. Honestly, I’m pissed off that Enzo put him through that. It was shitty of him.”
She grew quiet, her fingers still tracing shapes on my abdomen.
“Ani is causing a lot of issues with us,” she finally said. “I don’t want him to come between us. If I have to choose between my horsemen and Anson, I’ll choose the horsemen.”
I sighed, knowing that would be her answer.
“I know you would.”
“I’m tired of the same old thing. I want to hit fast forward and see where we are in five years.”
“Well, you’ll be a famous musician, and I’ll be watching you sing your heart out,” I said softly. Maybe from heaven. Maybe from hell. If I had to guess, it would be my own personal hell.
She kissed my ribs lightly but didn’t say anything. It was just as well. There wasn’t much to say. The future wasn’t written.
I was doing my damndest to make sure it was, though, because I wanted her to have all her dreams.
I shifted, then I reached over, grabbed my notebook off my bedside table, and handed it to her.
“Here. I can’t make all your wishes come true, but I can try,” I said.
She grinned at me and took the notebook. I shifted her so she was between my legs, and I was propped against the pillows, her back to my front. I raked my fingers through her soft curls as she opened my notebook and began reading one of the stories I’d written. It was the story of a shadow that fell in love with its owner.
She wiggled excitedly against me, making me chuckle softly and kiss her collarbone.
“Have fun, baby,” I murmured as she got comfortable and began her adventure.
If I couldn’t give her all the real adventures in life, I could at least give her this. That’s the sad thought I told myself.
TWENTY-FIVE
ETHAN
Ifucking hated everything that was Vander Veer.
Fidgeting, I stared around, hoping we’d be able to go home soon. Or anywhere else. Since Rosalie and Fox were gone, home didn’t even feel like home right now. Judging by my conversation with Fox yesterday, I’d say he’d be back but needed time.
I needed time, too.
To get the fuck out of here.
We had a nice house. A mansion.
But Vander Veer? It was far more than that. Crystal chandeliers. Marble. Ivory. Fucking ivory? Jesus fuck. More marble.
“Relax,” Cole muttered. “You’re shaking my damn chair.”
“You relax,” I mumbled back. “Fuck this place.”
