Stakes & Stilettos - Michelle Rowen [115]
Horrible.
Completely and absolutely dreadful in every way.
She had lied to him tonight. Completely and shamelessly.
Instead of making him angry, this realization made him happier than he had felt in centuries, if not ever.
She loved him. Of everything in his long difficult life, of this he had no doubt. His money meant nothing to her. If it had, she would have accepted his many attempts to give her spending money and then asked for more.
He loved her so deeply it made his heart ache.
She’d made every day a gift instead of a curse. Before he’d met her he’d believed that he had nothing left to live for. But now he knew that he was wrong. Now he lived for her and the promise of a future together.
It was all very clear.
It was also very clear that she was being coerced into her current actions. Forced to leave him. He frowned deeply at the thought.
It couldn’t have been Veronique’s doing. Of this, too, he was certain. Veronique might have many faults, but she wasn’t an evil woman.
No, something else had happened. Something that had scared Sarah so badly that she had no choice but to lie to him. He had considered calling her on this during her tirade of hurtful words but had decided against it.
Something had happened. Someone else was involved with this, and he was willing to bet that it had to do with the false Red Devil.
He had threatened Sarah. It was obvious. She was afraid.
The thought made him furious. Whoever was responsible would be very sorry.
He picked up the eternity band from where she’d left it on his desk and slid it into his front jacket pocket.
Sarah had told him that she didn’t love him. That it was over between them once and for all.
He’d once wished for this—for her to walk away from him and not look back. Only a short time ago he wouldn’t have fought for her; fought for their relationship and for a future together. But that was before he realized how very much he loved her.
A small grin of determination turned up the side of Thierry’s mouth.
He was different now.
Chapter 21
How did it go, Sarah?”
Gideon’s low voice in the darkness of the alley outside Haven startled me. I raised my damp eyeballs in his direction, expecting to see him grinning or looking proud of himself for what he’d made me do.
Instead he simply looked at me. The black scarf was wrapped around his scarred face again so all I could see were his eyes, but that was enough for me to know that he wasn’t smiling.
Neither was I. To say the least.
“How the hell do you think it went?” I managed.
He studied me for a moment longer. “You’ve done the right thing. I will assume he didn’t question your decision to end your relationship?”
I swallowed past the large lump in my throat. “No, he didn’t. Are you happy now?”
“This doesn’t make me happy.”
“Sure. I believe that.” I started to move past him, but he stepped in front of me to block my path.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“Home. To bed.”
“Is it safe for you to be out all alone like this?”
“The leader of the vampire hunters is concerned that little old fanged me is going to get home safely? How sweet of you.” I could practically taste the venom in the words. I took a deep breath and faced him again. “I agreed to sire you in two weeks. Does that mean I have to put up with you constantly being around between then and now? Because if I have a choice, I’d rather you stay as far away from me as possible and mind your own goddamned business about what I do.”
He blinked. “I’m not leaving. I’ll give you your space, of course, but don’t think that I won’t be near and well aware of whatever you do. There’s too much at risk for me to give you too much freedom.”
I wiped at my tears, which had turned from grief to frustration. “I did what you asked—I broke up with Thierry for good. On Valentine’s Day. Now I just want to be alone tonight. Do you think you could do that for me, you scarred son of a bitch?”
His green eyes glittered. “Since you put it so politely, I suppose that’s only fair. Good night, Sarah. I’ll see you again soon.”
He stepped