Page 45

45

Lock you’ll learn about them. But Solaris? He kept nothing that hinted at who he was.

Nothing but the closet of hanging cloaks and jackets. All heavy and black and the same. The metallic, citrus scent wafting off them had my heart crashing in tidal waves against my weakening ribs. I forced myself to ignore it and paw through the garments.

When I felt it, I gasped. A dense, heavy tug in my chest.

A dark object. No fucking doubt about it. A spike of adrenaline hit me as I began searching through every cloak and jacket. My pulse hammered and my palms were clammy. I sifted through pockets and sleeves, knowing I was close. Then my fingers brushed cool metal and I nearly squealed with victory.

I pulled it out, excited to admire my prize.

An antique, bronze padlock. It was heavy and throbbing with magic that almost made me drop it to the floor. I got progressively more lightheaded the longer I studied it.

But this was no victory. If the magic was linked to this, then I would need a key.

Of course he wouldn’t give up control so easily.

My shoulders slumped as I groaned. “Seven fucking hells.”

He was at my back in an instant, out of nowhere. Chills erupted across my shoulders and down my spine. His breath tickled my hair as he looked over my shoulder at the padlock in my hand.

“Well done.”

“It wasn’t that hard,” I retorted, though my voice lacked conviction. Goddess, I was fucking tired.

I turned to face him, refusing to cower in his enormous, winged shadow. He was so close. I could feel his mouth on mine all over again. I held out my palm expectantly. “Key.”

The ghost of a smirk touched his lips, but not his eyes. “Ask nicely.”

I rolled my eyes. “Seriously?”

He waited.

With a long-suffering sigh, I caved. The day had been too long. “Please, Solaris. Can I have the key?”

His eyes fluttered closed as he leaned in, breathing in the words, savoring them. My stomach knotted but I kept my spine straight. After a moment, his eyes opened again, and he reached into his cloak. Pulled out a bronze skeleton key and placed it in my waiting palm.

The penthouse shook when I turned the key and the padlock snapped open.

Just like that. The spell was broken.

Solaris snatched the two objects back and I didn’t bother to protest.

I stalked back toward the great room, and he stayed rooted in the same spot. At the last second, I turned back to him, finding him watching me. I tipped my chin up, grappling with the remnants of my dignity, despite what I was about to say. “And, Solaris? Unless it’s an absolute emergency involving someone I love, you will not fly with anyone else. Do you understand?”

The stunned look on his face followed by the smug shine in his eyes made me want to hurl myself out the window. I didn’t wait for his response—I knew he was disgustingly thrilled to oblige.

Jedidiah lay in a pool of hardening blood. Looking down at him had every single cell of my body drowning in guilt—but also bitterness. A confusing, heady mix. He’d kept so much hidden from me. Were any of our intimate moments even real? All those times I’d felt so close to him…yet I didn’t even know him. Not truly.

Still.

I remained the victor in our little competition of who had the most depraved morals.

I waved my hands, my kinetic power filling the air as I picked up the knocked-over sofa and righted it. Then, I summoned his massive body off the ground and gently placed him onto it. His chest was rising and falling, his brows knitted together. He’d be awake soon.

I knelt beside him, brushing his hair from his eyes. The stone in my throat wouldn’t go down. “Oh, Jed…” I whispered. I blinked away tears. Softly, I pressed my lips to his forehead.

“I’ll be back,” I promised. “Stay alive until then.”

I didn’t need to look back to know Solaris was watching. I could feel it like an iron burning into my back.

Without glancing his way, I grabbed Christina, and didn’t exhale until the elevator doors shut behind us.