Page 118 of The Immortal's One

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But my reaction to Des’s remark convinces me I need to get away from the Immortals before I become too attached to them and entangle my life with theirs so much that it can’t be separated.

Or I do something supremely stupid… like catch feelings for the broody Immortal who is more likely to scowl at me than smile. Whose touch sends shockwaves through my entire body. And whose penetrating gaze makes me feel alive while at the same time burning me from within.

What about Kevin?

I haven’t thought about him once all night. Not with Lome. Not with Des…

That doesn’t mean anything.

Does it?

“There you are,” a suave voice interrupts my guilty thoughts. I jolt and turn, startled when a broad figure steps from the shadows. The light catches his silhouette. “I’ve been looking for you.”

Music spillsfrom the open doors behind the approaching Immortal. The golden glow from the light hits him just right, obscuring his features, but I know exactly who he is.

Adir moves with an effortless swagger, his steps confident as he crosses the empty balcony. As he gets closer, details become sharper: the dark tuxedo, the gleam of his blond hair beneath the fairy lights, the way his eyes trace over me. Slow, appreciative… unsettling.

“You disappeared,” Adir says, his voice smooth. “I feared you'd change your mind.”

About our plan.

It’s almost time.

“No, sorry.” I glance over my shoulder to the gardens below.

We’re the only people on the patio, but several Immortals meander through the blooming flowers. They might be able to hear us, but I don’t think they’d be able to see us if we kissed here. We need to wait until we have more of an audience.

“I just needed some air,” I add, turning back to him, my words coming out tight.

Adir doesn’t seem to notice. He leans on the stone railing beside me, his gaze flickering across the garden as if taking in the night in its entirety. “Understandable.” His eyes slide back to me, a flicker of something dangerous in their dark blue depths. “You’ve created quite the stir among lesser Immortals this evening. You and Des.”

I wince. “That’s… not ideal.”

Adir makes a low sound in his throat, neither agreement nor disagreement.

There’s a shift in the air around us. It's subtle but unmistakable how the tension thickens. “How do you feel now, after your little… reprieve?” he asks.

“I’m fine,” I answer, though my pulse betrays me. “Just a little overwhelmed.”

“Not about our impending rendezvous, I hope?” His voice lifts with a flirtatious lilt, playful and smooth—but the smile that follows falters at the edges, never quite reaching his eyes.

I force my breath to stay even, trying to ignore how my skin prickles under his attention. I know this game. I know the plan. But without an audience, his presence is unnerving.

I glance at the garden again, debating how to respond.

“They can't hear us,” Adir says, misreading my actions. “I’ve ensured it.”

I blink, unsure whether to be impressed or terrified. I didn’t even know Immortals had that kind of power. Despite spending most of my days questioning Bella about them, there’s still so much I don’t know.

I nod, but it’s a distracted motion. My eyes fix on the stone fountain below, focusing on the steady bubbling water as if it might calm my nerves.

“That was quite the show you and Desmond gave on the dance floor.” His casual tone carries an underlying question.

I squeeze my eyes shut and groan. “Was it really that bad?"

“On the contrary. It seemed… intimate. Right before you ran off, that is. I bet tongues are still wagging about it.”

I open my eyes and shake my head. “It wasn’t a moment. We were just talking.”