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He twisted around, searching for the man he’d recognized from the club. It wasn’t Rihanna’s brother, but one of the people in her group that night. He was certain of it.

Did that mean Rihanna was nearby, too?

“What the hell…”

“Bryce, come on.”

Shaking his head, hoping to shake some sense into his mind, he tossed one last glance toward the corner of the bar. The table remained empty, the chair pushed in as if it hadn’t been occupied a few moments earlier.

Rubbing his eyes with the heels of his palms, he stumbled after Jesse.

Maybe he was a fool.

A crazy, miserable fool.

6

Rihanna walked through the cold, barren townhouse, taking in what months of neglect had done to her brother’s beautiful home. The unmistakable scent of rotten food, along with a subtle hint of mold hit her nostrils the instant she manifested in the center of the living room. On the dining room table, a crystal vase held a bouquet of dry flowers that gave off the sickly-sweet scent of decay. Goddess, she could only imagine what lay in wait for her in the fridge.

Once Shaye returned to their home in Faery with Moira, he had refused to bring her into the mortal realm while Daeanna roamed the realms. Unfortunately, once that problem was handled, Moira’s pregnancy prevented any sifting between realms.

Shaye never left Moira’s side, except to attend Dagda’s Court. She doubted he made any detours to check on his property in this realm.

Thankfully, she was able to find a few garbage bags and began the daunting task of cleaning out the townhouse, starting with the shriveled flowers, followed by the contentsof the fridge. It took her almost two hours of cleaning and organizing—her magic was practically nil after using most of her reserves sifting—to get the home in decent shape and the smell gone.

As she returned from tossing the garbage bags into the can in the garage, Thierry appeared in the small entry foyer. Rihanna gasped, stumbling into the foyer table in her surprise. Thierry caught a pewter sculpture before it toppled to the floor, setting it straight.

Rihanna smacked a hand to her racing heart. “Sweet Goddess, could you not fill me with fright?”

Thierry brushed his fingers along her cheek. “My apologies. I’d thought Shaye would’ve told you I was coming.”

Rihanna shook her head. “I haven’t seen my brother since the eve he returned from Court.” She started to tip her head into his touch, but the volatile guilt that roused quickly left her tucking her head away from his hand. Thierry grinned, albeit sadly, his eyes glinting with understanding. “His townhouse needs upkeep. He’s neglected it since returning to our home with Moira.”

“You come in hopes of finding Mikhail.”

“I—”

Thierry pressed a finger to her lips, silencing her before she could trip over her own denial. ’Twas true, if she could only admit such to the very man who’d kept her company over the last few decades. ’Twould not be easy ending the special relationship they shared, but both of them knew—she could only hope despite all the assurances he’d provided—their time as a couple would eventually come to an end.

“I must admit, I have always prayed to the Goddess, for your heart and your happiness, that this day would come. I knew from the day you agreed to something more with me that I could never hold your heart. ’Tis not mine to hold, onlyto console and cherish in the time we shared. I love you, Rihanna, but we both know the love we’ve shared is not the love ofanam caras.”

His fingers slipped into her hair. She allowed the motion, allowed the touch to stir familiar sensations of adoration and comfort. His touch felt different, lacking the intimacy it held not long ago.

Instead of lifting her face to meet his kiss, as she had so many times in the past, she lowered her chin, staving off the burn that stung her eyes. Thierry drew her close, tucking her into his chest, and held her as her brother might. A supportive embrace. His chin rested upon her head and his heart beat steady against her ear.

“He is bound to another woman, Thierry. How can I come between them?” she murmured, closing her eyes.

“That, my dear Rihanna, should be no question.” He kissed her hair and chuckled. “The crossing of paths at the mortal nightclub put Fate in motion. As your heart was never mine to hold, the woman in his life has no claim to his.” His hand slid from her back to her arm, coming to rest over her wrist. His thumb slipped beneath her folded fingers and blindly traced the faint line across her palm. “’Tis a bond for eternity. A promise recognized by the Goddess that follows mortals through each lifetime. He will never be happy unless he’s with you. The purity in your soul, my sweet, will never stop him from seeking you out. Let him make the decision about what to do with the woman in his life, and hold no guilt over his choice. Eventually, your old bond will become too strong to resist, and the only conclusion will be to reunite as one.”

The truth behind his words resonated deep inside her mind. She knew he spoke naught but the genuine truth, a truthshe’d known from the moment she recognized her beloved Mikhail at the nightclub.

Naught could keep trueanam carasapart. ’Twas impossible, especially once a bond formed.

“I care not to be the cause of another’s grief.” She closed her fingers around his thumb and sighed. “I know ’tis inevitable, but ’tis not something easily settled inside me.”

“I understand. You’ve always been a caring soul.” Thierry caught her beneath the chin and lifted her head from his chest, forcing her to meet his gaze. His deep, earth-tone-hued eyes glimmered with contentment. “’Tis time you end his suffering. You alone can make him whole and bring him peace. No other.”

Somehow she mustered a small smile, despite the ache spreading up her throat and along her jaw. Thierry’s handsome face blurred before her. “I know.”