Page 35

“Thank you,” I breathe, letting the call end.

I run my thumb over the screen, wishing I could see their faces, when another knock comes from the door. Holy fuck. It really must be Flora, and she’s eager as hell. I have a feeling she’s going to want to do something for my birthday and I’m not really feeling it. Especially not now. I finally got a brief moment to connect with my family and I’m aching from not being able to bask in the pleasure of spending time with them.

Swinging the door open, I’m ready to explain to her that I’m too busy, but I’m stopped in my tracks when I come face to face with a blond mage with a wicked grin. His gaze rakes over me until his eyes settle on mine.

“I know I’m five minutes early, but you don’t look the least bit ready for our date.”

SEVENTEEN

ADDI

His purple mage cloak is gone, revealing a skin-tight white tee that clings to muscles I didn’t realize he had. Paired with fitted black jeans and worn boots, he looks sinful. When my gaze finally meets his, his blue eyes dance with amusement as he watches me take him in. His blond hair is ruffled and I can’t deny the instinctive need to run my fingers through the layers.

Remembering myself, I clear my throat, aware that my skin is flushing under his knowing stare. “There is no date.” The words sound lame, even to my ears, and when he rolls his eyes at me, it feels well deserved. But I genuinely thought we were past this.

“You’re not dense, Cupcake. We both know this, and we both know that I specifically said Friday night at seven. And would you look at that?” he dramatically glances down at the black leather watch strapped on his wrist.

Fucker.

“I didn’t agree to this,” I ramble, standing my ground with less conviction than I would like, but seeing him at my door has thrown me for a loop.

“There was nothing to agree to, remember?” He cocks a brow at me and I fold my arms over my chest, trying to create another layer of defense between us.

“You’re standing at my door; that seems like something we should agree to,” I retort, and he shakes his head dismissively.

“Cupcake, you can drag this out however you like, but this is happening. Either you get changed and we head out, or I’m coming in there and we can get our chill on.”

Smiling proudly, I shake my head at him this time. “That’s where you’re wrong. I have wards in place, which means I can stay in here, and you can do whatever you please, but it won’t be inside these four walls.” Feeling the dramatics, I grab my door, and with a flourish, I swing it toward him, ready to see the back of him, but before the satisfactory slam can ring out between us, he stops the motion with his hand.

I blink at where his hand is pressed against my door, my heart ricocheting in my chest as I process the fact that his hand is on my door…inside the ward.

“Can I be honest with you?” he asks, all calm and collected, and it irritates the hell out of me.

“Sure,” I rasp, not taking my eyes off his hand.

“Will it earn me brownie points?” he quizzes, and I scoff.

“Probably not.”

“Then I’ll keep it to myself.”

My eyes rush to his, narrowing at the smugness that spreads across his face.

“Keep what to yourself?” I grumble, and he shrugs, eyebrows rising as he waits for more. I sigh, defeat getting the better of me. “Fine, brownie points.”

His smug grin grows as he somehow stands taller without removing his hand from my door. “Morgan’s ward is great, but it’s no match for a mage. So what he should have been saying is that it will keep out anyone and everything but the mages. If you want something stronger, I can help with that.”

Fuck. I would love to call him out for his bullshit, but the fact that his hand is still inside the ward I set earlier tells me it’s true. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I take a deep breath, failing to accomplish anything with it.

“Of course you can,” I grumble, knowing exactly where this is going before he even speaks.

“How about this: you get your sweet ass changed and come out with me, and I’ll put a stronger ward in place that would keep even me out.”

Now that’s bullshit I can call out. “You mean a ward you would have control of?”

He shakes his head, lifting his free hand in the air as a show of surrender. “I’ll link it to you, I swear it.”

My eyes narrow. “Why?”