Page 42

“Won’t you please tell me, Kai?”

Closing his eyes, Kai lets out a long, controlled breath. Reaching up I wrap my arms around his neck and comb my fingers through the silky soft hair at the back of his neck. Opening his eyes, he looks down at me and I can tell I’ve won when his ruby eyes lighten.

“My mother is nagging me nonstop about meeting you. I told her she has to wait till the equinox but she’s being an insistent pain in my ass.”

His mother wants to meet me? A half human hybrid with tainted blood lines and no family name or fancy mansion? Maybe she’s not as bad as I made her out to be if she wants to meet me.

“When was she wanting to meet me?”

Kai falls silent again. I can tell he doesn’t want to tell me. I wait patiently for him to answer, never breaking eye contact.

“At the cocktail party tonight at the house,” he finally spits out. “I told her no. That neither of us would be going. I know you don’t like crowds and that crowd of people is particularly unbearable.”

“You don’t want to take me to your family’s party?”

I know I’m not the type of female his family wants him to be with, but I thought Kai didn’t care what they thought about us. That he wasn’t ashamed of me, but that’s exactly how I feel discovering his mother invited me specifically to attend their very exclusive equinox party and Kai doesn’t want us to go. Doesn’t want to be seen with me.

“No, of course I don’t. Those people are poisonous vipers, and I don’t want you anywhere near them.”

If I were a more logical person, I would probably realize he’s trying to protect me, but in the growing hurt the initial seed of doubt is growing in my chest all I hear is he doesn’t want me around his family and friends.

“Are you ashamed of me?” The words slip from my lips as I pull free of Kai’s embrace, putting needed space between us so I can think. Thankfully we’re in the outer gardens far from prying ears.

“What?! Of course not. I’m honored you even give me the time of day. It’s them I’m ashamed of. It’s them I don’t want around you.”

He reaches for me, but I shift out of his reach. I need to think, and I can’t do that if he's touching me.

“But they’re your family.”

“Not by choice. If it were up to me neither of us would ever have to see or speak to any of them ever again.”

“But if your mother is so adamant about meeting me, maybe she’s not as bad as you think. Maybe you should give her a chance to prove herself. Give me a chance to prove them wrong about hybrids, and to decide for myself.”

Kai’s fingers curl into fists at his side and I can sense his refusal and I’m already deflating in defeat. I don’t know why all of sudden I have an urge to meet his family that I’ve only ever heard unpleasant things about. Maybe because my previous beliefs have recently been proven wrong on other matters, so maybe the gossip about them is all wrong too.

My eyes drop to the grass, and I focus on my toes curling into the cold blades and dirt. I’m going to have to start wearing shoes soon.

“Do you really want to meet them that badly?” Kai’s voice is quiet and gentle, his fingers reaching out to lift my chin, so I have to look into his glittering eyes.

“I mean…maybe. It just doesn’t seem right not to when you’ve met mine.”

He sighs heavily and I allow him to wrap me in his warmth once more.

“If we go, I have a few requirements.”

I nod, my optimism growing.

“You cannot leave my side. I must be with you at all times. If I say we have to leave, we leave. And you don’t speak to anyone I say not to. Okay?”

“Seems a bit controlling to me, but I guess I can go with it. Not that I have much practice at parties anyways. You’ll probably have to do all the talking.”

“Fine by me.”

I never thought that day would come that I would argue to attend a party rather than avoid it. Kai slips his hands under my sweater and presses a warm hand to the bare skin of my back, instantly I feel more grounded and calm.

“You’ve already got me wrapped around your little finger, don’t you?”

I shrug. I didn’t realize I did, but I’m finding I might like it. Leaning down Kai presses a kiss to my temple and presses his cheek to the side of my head. My forehead falls to his chest on instinct, and I inhale his campfire scent.