“Hey!” He ducks, but the flour ends up in his hair and on his shirt. “Why did you do that?”
“Because I can.” I grin, and throw another handful of flour.
“Stop it! Who’s going to clean up all this mess after?” He picks up a bit of dough and rolls it into a small ball, then chucks it at me, hitting me in the arm.
I laugh, tears prickling my eyes. “Damn it. You discovered my secret. That’s exactly why I called you here. To be my housekeeper.”
“You didn’t!” He rushes toward me before I can throw more flour and grabs my hand. I back up until my ass hits the counter, and then I look up at him, my lips parting. He’s just looking at me, and his dark eyes seem endless. It’s so easy to forget the time around him. It’s so easy to act natural and not be judged.
I can count on the fingers of one hand the people who wouldn’t get all judgy on me and accuse me of acting like a child, as if it were a bad thing to have some silly fun from time to time. Suddenly he lowers his head and presses his lips against mine into a soft, gentle kiss. My eyes close for a moment and I drop the flour from my hand and place it on Caleb’s back. He pulls away, and I’m gasping for breath.
“I’m sorry,” he says. “I shouldn’t have...”
“No, don’t be.” I place my hand on his face until his eyes meet mine.
“We shouldn’t be doing this,” he says, his eyes filled with pain.
“What? Have fun? Why not?”
“You should find a real friend or someone who can be there for you at all times. Someone who can have fun with you and laugh with you and make you happy. You’re wasting your time and money on me.”
“Caleb... but I’m happy with you.”
He covers my hand with his, and rubs his face along my fingers. “I know, but this has to end. You’re not supposed to be with someone like me.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” A frown creases my brow.
“You shouldn’t call me anymore,” he says, and moves away from me. “Not for anything.”
“Why? Is it because you don’t like me?”
“No, of course not.” His eyes shoot up, and he wraps his arms around himself. “I just don’t think we should be seeing each other anymore.”
“Okay.” For some reason, the idea of never seeing him again makes tears sting in my eyes, but I don’t plan to give up on him, even though I hate myself for lying to him. “If that’s what you want.”
He offers me a weak smile. “Thank you.”
I smile back at him. “Let’s finish the pizza.”
“Sure.” He goes back to the table, and busies himself with the toppings.
As I watch him, another idea springs to my mind. Maybe there is a way for me to help Caleb, even if he’ll hate me for it later. I’m not even sure I can begin to understand his relationship with Raphael, but I have to find out the truth. Maybe, just maybe, I can do it without looking suspicious and ruining everything.
Caleb turns over in bed, careful not to hit Jade who is nestled next to him, her face serene. Since he can never sleep on his own without having nightmares, someone always has to be with him. This time, however, sleep doesn’t come. Lilith keeps plaguing his thoughts. What does she really know about him?
Her questions were too close to home and he isn’t sure if he was convincing enough. If Lilith starts to poke around, she can put everyone’s lives at risk, including her own. But what if she’s actually working for Raphael and the whole thing was a test for him to see what he’d do? It wouldn’t be the first time Raphael did a test like that.
At least two people he used to know are dead because they failed the test. And Lilith... as innocent as she seems, maybe she isn’t. Raphael would have never let her near if he thought she’d call the cops on him. Still, maybe her innocence was why Raphael let her meet him. Maybe Raphael wants him to fall for her to show him what he can never have. And he’ll lose her... just like he lost Heather.
He sighs. His sweet Heather. The memory of their first encounter fills his mind.
Caleb tries to fight the guards who are dragging him into a big room, but they are bigger and stronger than him. As they shove him forward, he falls onto his knees in front of Raphael, the man who ripped Jade, Isaac, and him from their home, told them he owned them, and promised he’d train them to become every man and woman’s desire.
But as Caleb starts to rise to his feet, his gaze locks on a figure huddled behind Raphael. A girl is sitting on the floor, her arms wrapped tightly around her legs. When she lifts her head, her frightened hazel eyes stare back at him.
“Stay down, slave,” Raphael says, and Caleb lets himself fall back to the hard floor, his gaze still glued to the brown-haired girl. Who is she? What is she doing here?
“Heather, on your feet,” Raphael commands.
