Page 127 of The Demon's Fire
Spying a notepad with a pen near the phone, he started to write. Four notes later, all crumpled up and thrown into the trash, he left. Words weren’t his gig. Besides, how could he say goodbye? Sense or no sense, he was not through with the sizzling hot chief legal officer. And he had an invite back to her condo.
ChapterThirty
Thenext morning, Skyler awoke, stretching her arms above her head. She touched her fingers to her warm cheeks, remembering last night’s shared passion. The corners of her lips lifted as she recalled Kole’s unrelenting desires. She might not have dreamed he was the man for her, but he owned her heart. Somewhere between his walking into her office the first day and her condo yesterday, she had fallen hard for the brutish, hulking Firebrand commander.
Skyler patted Kole’s side of the bed. Empty. She listened but didn’t hear any sounds from the bathroom. Rising, she slipped into her robe, tying the sash.
“Hmm.” Skyler winced, a little sore in certain places. But she was whole, satisfied, appreciated. She padded on bare feet into the great room. Kole wasn’t there either. The kitchen was quiet as was the rest of the condo. She checked her cellphone. No voicemail.
The demon had vanished after what she thought had been a spectacular night of lovemaking. She had fallen asleep with so much left unsaid. About Winston. Why had she continued to let Kole believe she was engaged? Maybe because the bigger-than-life demon had overwhelmed her from the start. Her fictitious fiancé had been a shield. She also had planned to tell Kole how, despite all the obstacles, she was falling in love with him.
No goodbye. No message to say he’ll call. Not even an empty promise of don’t call me. I’ll call you.
Crumpled paper in the trashcan caught her eye. She took out four notes and smoothed them flat.
One read, “I don’t know how to…” The words were scratched out.
The next one said, “You’re right. We can’t keep this up.” He had drawn a line through this sentence, too.
The other note consisted of more crossed out words. The last one had only one word, “Goodbye.”
Skyler palmed her chest above her heart, drawing a deep breath. Pain. Hurt. Emptiness. She was inexperienced compared with Kole. An animus demon like him thrived on sex. He needed it to survive. Maybe for him, last night was just another roll in the hay, and she was just another…
A meal on two heels. Or what would Anna say? Fuck buddy.
Wrapping her arms around her waist, she willed tears not to fall. This was why a relationship built on common interests, respect, and appreciation of each other’s profession was best. This was why passion was not the best emotion to judge the success of a committed relationship. Not buying the hard sell, her heart still ached. And she felt empty not seeing his lopsided, cocky grin and stubborn jaw. Suddenly, she realized a truth.
I don’t want safe, boring. I want Kole.
She busied herself pouring water into her Keurig and popping in a coffee pod. Dark roast.
He was uncultured, unrefined, and definitely not a man she would have taken home to introduce to her father. He was totally not her type.
But I survived an unloving father. I studied hard to finish school. I bought this condo with my own money. I got the job I wanted. I’ll damn well get the demon I want.
But anger curled its fingers around her heart when she remembered his rejection.
With a cup of coffee in her hand, Skyler picked out a professional suit and heels for the day ahead. The office would be in shock about Cal. She would tend to business today and call Kole tonight. She was determined to make him see how perfect she was for him. Despite the obstacles.
****
Kolehad caught up on all the happenings at the stronghold. Margo. Nico. But nothing mattered except Skyler. How many times had he picked up the phone to call her? And now this.
“I knew it,” he said. Skyler’s eyes. More lilac than blue. It all made sense now. Kole shot up from his desk, going toe-to-toe with Alarik. “How the hell did you miss this?”
Alarik stood his ground, not backing away. “We didn’t miss it. My healer assumed her blood test wasn’t a priority. Chief Maxwell told him her ancestry wasn’t mage. He feels terrible.”
“He should. This is a nightmare.” Kole’s temper surged. Skyler had a bullseye on her back. The attack on her office. Dermott and his demon choir. It all made sense now. The illusive Cerberus was hunting for her.
“I am not one of your warriors. Lower your voice when you speak to me, Commander?”
“Or what?” Kole, his body quivering with an excess of electric energy, bumped his chest against Alarik.
The director chuckled. “I am a seasoned warlock, not some young mage fresh from training.”
Kole juggled a fireball from hand to hand, enraged. “Fuck you and fuck your ministry’s incompetence.” He lobbed the blazing orb at the director.
Alarik flicked his wrist. The fireball disappeared midair. “Kole, we can do this all day. Get ahold of yourself. We need to bring her in, not place blame. It’s my fault. Okay? Satisfied?”
