Page 2 of White Little Lies (Four Ways to Fate #3)

2

We ran into one of my neighbors on the way up to my apartment. Noel had fairy blood somewhere in her ancestry, but it wasn’t strong. Just enough to give her a feel of otherness that most wouldn’t even notice. She pushed a lock of black hair behind her ear and gave me a coy smile as we passed her on the stairs.

I forced a smile in return. Sebastian had been around so much, I was pretty sure most of the neighbors thought he was my boyfriend. Most of them also wouldn’t be able to tell that he was a devil. If they could, they might think a little differently of me.

I glanced at him as we continued toward my door. He seemed oblivious, but I knew it was an act. Sebastian missed very little.

He finally looked down at me as we reached my apartment, but his dark eyes were distant, his thoughts somewhere else. “I will return for you tomorrow. ”

I could have let it go at just that. I should have let it go at just that. But hells, he had saved my life one too many times. It didn’t feel right lying to him. “I have a delivery tonight, so if you sense your calling card out and about, that’s why.”

His eyes were suddenly keen on my face. “You’re being foolish.”

I lifted a hand to cut him off. “Hey, a girl’s gotta eat, and there’s nothing in our contract that says I can’t take other jobs. But in case you didn’t catch the rest of my statement, I will bring my card.” It vexed me, but once again, he had saved my cookies one too many times. Every time I’d heard a motorcycle over the past week, I was looking over my shoulder for fae.

“Whatever you will earn for the delivery, I will double it.”

I gritted my teeth. “I’m freelance, and this client is a regular. I can’t afford to lose them.”

He studied me, the sunlight cutting a harsh line across his high cheekbone. “Then I will escort you.”

“You don’t have to—”

Fire flashed in his eyes. “I have invested far too much time into you to leave you unprotected.”

I wrinkled my nose at his words. “Oh, gee, and here I thought you’d actually grown to like me.”

“That is an entirely different subject. What time is your delivery?”

I looked at my watch. “I have to leave in two hours. ”

“Then I will return in two hours.” He disappeared in a flash of darkness.

Shaking my head, I reached into my bag for my keys. If Noel had crossed our path just a few minutes later, she would have seen him leaving. I was betting her expression would have been a little different had that been the case.

I unlocked the door and went into my apartment. I had been convincing myself that I was brave enough to go to the Bogs tonight, but with Sebastian hounding me, I might not get the chance. I hated that part of me was relieved. It wasn’t like the experience hadn’t been wonderful, and I cared deeply about both goblins, but…

I could admit, if only to myself, that dammit, I was embarrassed.

Ringo bounded toward me as soon as I was inside, his blue fur fluffed up with excitement. Sebastian might have a free pass into Emerald Heights, but Ringo was a pure blooded goblin. I was yet to muster the courage to ask King Francis to let him in too.

I crouched down for him to climb into my hands, then lifted him onto my shoulder as I walked toward my bedroom. I was looking forward to two hours of alone time before Sebastian returned.

Well, relatively alone, but I didn’t mind Ringo hanging out on my bookshelf.

Braxton popped his head out of his doorway as I passed. His hair was mussed and his eyes groggy, so I must have woken him from a nap. “Just thought you might want to know, there’s a giant goblin waiting in your bedroom.”

I stopped mid-stride, then took a step back to face Braxton, giving him wide eyes. “How long has he been in there?”

He shrugged. “About an hour.”

I winced. “Thanks, I guess.”

He gave me a wink. “You two keep it down in there. I need my beauty sleep.”

My cheeks burned. I knew it had been a mistake to tell Braxton what happened, but I had to tell someone . I had hoped he could give me some advice. Instead, he had laughed his ass off and asked when I had gotten so much cooler than him.

Really, I should have known better.

As Braxton shut his door, I approached my room, my palms already sweating. I turned the knob and went inside, and there Gabriel was, leaning against the wall beside my bed with his arms crossed.

His straight black hair was loose, tucked behind his ears, and his massive arms were mostly bare in his T-shirt. The deep green fabric contrasted beautifully with his brown skin.

“I’m not used to seeing you in regular T-shirts,” I said awkwardly, lowering my shoulder so Ringo could hop onto my bed.

I couldn’t read Gabriel’s expression as he replied, “It’s easier to blend in with the humans in the city. ”

I looked him up and down, all 6’6” of him. “Gabriel, I don’t think you blend in anywhere .”

His expression still unreadable, he pushed away from the wall, straightening to his full height.

“You know, you could have sat on the bed, made yourself comfortable.”

“I didn’t want to be presumptuous.”

I shook my head. “If you say so. So what’s up? Why are you here?”

“Mistral believes you are avoiding us. He believes you are embarrassed.”

I fought the urge to squirm, turning away to toss my bag onto my bed so he couldn’t see my expression. “Not embarrassed, just busy. I was in Emerald Heights all day.”

I sensed him stepping toward my back, his nearness and the fact that we were in my bedroom giving me a little thrill.

“Eva—”

I turned toward him abruptly, and he was closer than I had realized. “I’m not avoiding you, I swear.” Gods, was it ever lucky that I only had a bargain of truth with Mistral. “It’s just that we don’t have a lot of time. With things unstable in the Bogs—”

He took my hand, his big fingers swallowing mine up. “If you regret what happened—”

Even just the touch of his hand felt too damn good. “I don’t. Seriously, I don’t.” I took a deep breath, then slowly let it out. Sebastian I could skate around the truth with, but Gabriel… He was just so earnest. It felt wrong. “I’ve just never dated two people at once, okay?”

His small smile tugged at my heart. For a while, I hadn’t even been sure that Gabriel could actually smile. And now, having that smile just for me?

“So we’re dating?”

I waved my free hand in the air. “In a vague, nebulous sense of the word.”

His smile shifted into a smirk. My opposite hand grew warm in his, my magic rising. He lifted my fingers, my skin gently glowing where it touched his. My magic reacted differently to each of the guys, and the glow mostly seemed to be for him. He leaned down, placing a kiss on my knuckles.

My heart fluttered. “You know, I can’t think straight when you do things like that.”

He kissed the next knuckle. “Come to the Bogs, Eva.”

“I have a delivery tonight.”

He turned my hand, extending it to kiss the underside of my wrist.

My breath hitched.

“In how long?” he muttered.

“Two hours.”

Another kiss, further up the inside of my arm. “And what do you intend to do until then?”

“Well I was thinking about having some alone time, but suddenly that doesn’t sound terribly appealing. ”

He cradled my arm, kissing the inside of my elbow, leaving a soft glow behind.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, inhaling his earthy, smoky scent. “Mistral didn’t send you, did he?”

A flash of a smile again as he lowered my arm and stepped closer. “No, though he is aware I am here.”

“And he’s totally fine with that?”

He nodded, pushing my hair behind my ear, gazing down at me with heat in his dark eyes.

I saw a flash of blue as Ringo jumped near the door, turning the knob so he could scurry out of the room.

Gabriel cupped my jaw with his large hands and kissed me, tearing away my last shred of resistance. But really, I didn’t want to resist. As much as the whole situation made me nervous, I still wanted it. I still wanted both of them.

Gabriel’s tongue darted into my mouth and I opened for him, leaning my body against his. He took the invitation to lower his hands to my ass, lifting me so I could wrap my legs around him. The angle was better for both of our necks, and left one of his hands free to skim up my back beneath my shirt, making the rest of my skin ache to be touched in the same way.

He lowered us to the bed, leaning my body back so he could kiss down my neck. As our skin heated, the scent of him filled my nostrils again—earth, ozone, and a hint of woodsmoke. I gripped his chin, bringing his face back to mine for another kiss. His tongue dove into my mouth, his hips grinding against me, letting me feel him through his pants.

He broke the kiss just long enough to remove his shirt, then he reclaimed my lips like he was starving for my touch. The thought of it sent a thrill of pleasure straight to my core. He slipped my shirt upward, removing it much more gently than he had his own. The bra went next, and he took a moment just to look down at me. We had been so consumed with wild goblin magic our first time together, we hadn’t had time for all the small stuff, like getting to just enjoy seeing each other naked for the first time.

He lowered his head, sucking one of my breasts into his mouth. I tried to stifle my moan for Braxton’s sake, but my magic was really kicking up. I knew once it took over, I would be forgetting all about Braxton and his werewolf hearing.

Gabriel moved to my other breast, sucking it into his mouth, then teasing my nipple with his tongue. As it hardened he gave it an extra little flick, then his hands went under my back, arching it to put me on full display. He grazed my flesh with his teeth, and when I didn’t protest, he bit a little harder. I panted, rocking my hips up against him.

His chuckle was a deep rumble against my skin. One hand lowered to unbutton my jeans, then I helped by wiggling my way out of them as he pulled them down. I wrapped my legs back around him in just my panties .

I distantly noted a knock at the front door, but I wasn’t expecting anyone. So Braxton could get it. I heard a muffled exchange, then, “Eva! Where are you, darling!”

Gabriel and I both went still, turning our attention to my slightly ajar door.

I heard Braxton’s lower voice muttering something.

“Don’t worry, I’ll rouse her.”

My heart pounded in my chest. That was Dawn’s voice. And here I was, still clinging half naked to Gabriel. Braxton exchanged pleasantries with my old boss as they approached my door.

“You might want to knock—”

“No look, it’s open.”

A celestial and a goblin never moved so quickly as Gabriel and I shooting up out of bed, just as my door swung open revealing Dawn with Braxton standing just behind her. At first his face held an apologetic wince, then his hand lifted to cover his silent laughter as soon as he saw what state we were in. Gabriel, shirtless, and me holding his missing shirt over my chest.

A slow smile curved Dawn’s red lips. “Well well, Eva, no wonder you never come to see me.” She slowly looked Gabriel up and down. “It seems you’ve found something to keep you far too busy.”

With my hair mussed and my legs on full display, I pointed toward the living-room. “ Out .”

Dawn crossed her arms, her emerald pantsuit stretching across her impressive form in a way that only the most expensive, custom-made garment could. “I’ll close the door now, but only if you agree to come into the living room and drink the caramel latte I brought you while we have a nice chat.”

My cheeks heated. “Fine.”

The door shut, and Braxton’s laughter became not so silent outside.

Gabriel, seeming entirely unruffled, looked a question at me.

“My old boss.” I reached for my jeans, casting a reluctant look at his bare chest, still feeling the urge to lick every inch of his flesh. I quickly darted my eyes away. “She’s been keeping an ear out for rumors about the bounty,”

He held out an arm for me to steady myself while I hopped into my jeans. “She’s not a night runner.”

“No,” I agreed. “She’s part troll, but mostly human. She runs the agency because she’s a good businesswoman, not because she knows anything about celestial magic.”

I buttoned and zipped my jeans, knowing I needed to go into the living room, but Gabriel was still just standing there, looking scrumptious. “Will you stay for coffee?”

“I usually drink tea.”

I huffed. “It’s like I don’t even know you.”

He laughed, wrapping an arm around my waist to pull me close. “Come to the Bogs tonight, Eva.”

Heat and magic both coursed through me at the thought of it, all of the sensation pooling between my legs. “I’ll try.”

“I can return to escort you to your delivery.”

I wrinkled my nose. “Sebastian will be with me. He doesn’t want me to get snatched away either.”

“Even more reason for me to return.” He leaned down, brushing his lips across mine, stealing my breath away.

“Eva, darling! Your coffee is getting cold!”

Still wrapped in Gabriel’s arms, I hung my head. “I should go. And don’t worry about my delivery. Sebastian may be a pain in the ass, but he has made it clear he has invested too much time to lose me. I’ll try to come to the Bogs once my job is done.”

His expression darkened. “As much as I dislike his presence, I would ask that he escort you to the gates.”

Because that wouldn’t be awkward at all. “Sure,” I said, not sure if I would actually go through with it.

He didn’t push me further, but the look he gave me made it clear he knew I wasn’t being entirely honest. I gave him a quick peck on the cheek, then led the way to the door. He held it open for me, and we both stepped out into the living room.

Dawn perched on one side of the sofa, sipping from a periwinkle colored to-go cup. I knew the location that had those cups, and I never went there because it was way too expensive. A matching cup waited on the coffee table for me.

Braxton had made himself scarce. He tolerated Dawn, but he had never really liked her. He felt like she took advantage of me. Which was true, but at this point, it was a pretty mutual relationship.

Her eyes lingered on Gabriel as he came to stand beside me.

“I’ll see you later,” he said, brushing one large hand across the small of my back as he pulled away.

I shivered at the touch, and was angry all over again at Dawn for interrupting us. Although I was at least grateful that she didn’t show up any later .

We both watched Gabriel walk toward the door and let himself out.

Once he was gone, Dawn chuckled. “I never thought I’d see you in bed with a goblin.”

I walked around the coffee table to sit on the other side of the couch. “Personally, I had hoped you would never see me in bed with anyone .”

“I thought perhaps you were dating an elf, one of the nobility, seeing as how the king’s protection now extends to your roommate .”

She was fishing for information, and I wasn’t about to give it to her until the right moment. She would want something in exchange for whatever she had to tell me. I reached for my coffee and took a sip. It was still piping hot. Part of the price tag at Lapis Brews was the minor enchantment placed on each cup, keeping the coffee the perfect temperature until the very last drop. The enchantment didn’t last forever, but was good for a few hours .

The steamed milk was perfectly creamy and the amount of caramel just right, brightening my mood considerably. I lifted the cup toward her in thanks. “I’m surprised you’d willingly buy coffee from gargoyles.”

“I’m willing to go to great lengths for quality, Eva. You know that.” She angled her long legs toward me, then leaned back against the sofa cushion. “Now, are you going to tell me what you’ve been doing in Emerald Heights?”

Ah, it seemed we were jumping straight to the bargaining. I took another slow sip of my coffee, pretending to ponder her question. Finally, I said, “I’m not sure what you mean.”

She flashed me a quick smile. “Oh, I do miss you, so I will throw you a nice little crumb.” She leaned forward, meeting my eyes steadily. “I believe I have new information on your mother.”

My heart fell to my feet.