Page 28

He lifted his shoulder. “Yeah, well. Issues, right?”

“Ah, you were forced here.”

“That, I was. Maybe I’ll tell you about it some time. You know, if we continue hitting it off, now we’re past the wholereckless cuntof it all.”

That actually had me laughing.

He was quite the character.

Time would tell as to whether that would prove to be a positive or negative thing.

“Sounds promising.”

I gestured for him to follow me to the lot door that led into the main building, but we were both pulled up short from moving another muscle by a rumbling thunder, a moment before a tricked-out silver motorcycle rode into the lot.

The familiar golden waves belonging to its owner were what stole my attention more than anything else.

My pulse picked up and my fucking body reacted before I could even begin to get a handle on it, as I watched in an oddly mesmerized state as none other than Ariana rode over to the farthest corner and parked her bike.

She swung her leg over it, then headed around to her saddlebags.

There was no need for a helmet, because she was basically invulnerable, so a crash wouldn’t so much as even scratch her a little.

She was dressed in her familiar edgy way again, thankfully no elegant dress to speak of that really hadn’t suited her at all.

A pair of distressed jeans did amazing justice to her curvy hips and her shapely ass. They gave way to a pair of chunky boots with buckles on the side. A black tank with a sexy lace bust stretched across her full breasts, with her well-worn brown suede jacket over the top. She slung two tan duffel bags over a single shoulder, then shoved a hand through her windswept waves with her free hand, before making her way across the lot.

She must have been in her own little world inside her pretty head, because she only just noticed that she had company, and she started when she lasered in on me.

She mouthed “asshole”at me, gave me a nasty look, then meandered away from my path.

But before she could reach the door, Vorzyr was there, jogging up to her.

She pulled up short as he stepped in front of her and held out his hand.

“You’re the angel, yes? Ariana Martel?” he asked her, gazing at her in awe.

And with a whole lot of heat that had me clenching my fists down at my sides.

“The angel. Yeah, that’s me,” she responded with a worn out tone, clearly preparing for the worst, and to face some bullshit.

He picked up on it right away and shook his head. “No. It’s not a slight. I think it’s incredible. I’ve wanted to meet you for a really long time. And now… wow… here you are. And you’re… motherfucker, you’re gorgeous. And all that power radiating off you… there’s nothing else like it. I’m honored.”

“Uh… okay,” she murmured, not sure what to make of it.

Things got even more disconcerting when he actually bowed at the waist. “Verynice to meet you, Ariana Martel.”

A giggle burst from her.

I jolted at the sweet, liberated sound.

I hadn’t heard that from her since we were kids.

What was happening?

How was he doing this?

And, more worryingly,why?