Page 18 of Marked By Moonlight

And, oops. I really was internalizing this mercenary thing now.

“Everything okay?” Clem tilted his head.

I stuck on a smile. “Fine. Yes, that would be great. I’d be happy to help.”

He grinned. “And who knows? Maybe someone who attends will like it so much, they’ll come back to get married here.”

I forced a chuckle, thinking of the vision I’d had. “Yeah. Who knows?”

A cuckoo called from the forest. Clem checked his watch, gulped the rest of his tea, and stood. “Gotta go.”

He insisted on carrying the tray into the house, while I insisted on seeing him to the door before a vampire or a tiger intercepted him and set off a deadly fight.

I held the door open, and we traded three kisses. His sage-and-lavender scent wafted over me each time, making me question my life choices. Bene was right. I did have options.

But instead of temptation, all I felt was determination. I would find Marius and fight for a place in his life — or at least get closure on an ill-fated affair.

Clem’s scent wafted over again, assuring me he would be ready and waiting if — when? — that day arrived.

“Be good,” Clem said. Then he flicked his eyes upstairs. “Be careful. And please. Keep an open mind.”

Something told me he didn’t mean the police championships.

I nodded. “Thanks for coming. And thank Madame Martin.”

He flashed a grin that would make half the country swoon and stepped toward his car, calling, “À bientôt.”See you soon.

I steeled myself, because he would. Him, along with most of the regional police force. Was this really a good idea?

“À bientôt,” I murmured, forcing myself to wave.

Chapter Five

MINA

To call what I’d done all night “sleeping” would be a gross overstatement. By morning, I was tired, flustered, and seriously sex-deprived. Just a few weeks with Marius and I already craved him like a drug.

Was he awakening somewhere now, aching for me the way I ached for him? Or was he simply rising and going casually on his way?

Another thought hit me, and I felt sick. What if he was waking up with someone else?

I buried my face in my pillow, then groaned and rolled out of bed. It had been a shitty night, I was in a shitty mood, and it was going to be a shitty day. But the sooner I started it, the sooner it would be over, right?

I was just finishing that cheery thought when I reached the bathroom and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. The same old me, but tired, bitter, and getting older every day.

Maybe Bene was right. I could have a fling with him, a studly lion shifter. How bad could that be? I could eventually move on to a long-term relationship with Clem or some other man. I was single. I was capable. I was free. The world was my oyster!

But I didn’t want oysters, dammit. I wanted Marius. Did he want me, though?

I ordered myself to take a cold shower, pull myself together, and forge some kind of plan.

First, I made instant oatmeal, avoiding the main kitchen and the others. Then I took out my laptop, tempted to hunt down Marius and reach some kind of closure. But where exactly would I start? Brussels?

Maybe Paris would be better. Because as many questions as Marius had raised, Gordon opened a hundred more.

My nerves jittered just thinking about it, though.

Then it hit me. I didn’t have to race off on a wild-goose chase. I could start much closer to home. In my own home, actually.