Page 41 of Bound

He shrugs his broad shoulders. “It’s all right. He deservedit. We should go to bed. Will you come with me? I was cold in there all alone.”

I hesitate. I don’t really know him. Or do I? Is he trulythe other side to the man I’ve started to fall for?

“I promise I won’t tie you up until you ask me,” he sayswith an innocent look that makes me laugh.

I take his hand. Cian’s right. It’s a chilly night. It willserve Beck right if I stay warm while he sleeps with the chickens.

Cian looks down at me. “I’m Cian. What’s your name?”

I walk straight into the bedroom, pull a pillow to my face,and scream.

ChapterEighteen

Liadan

Deep in the night, I watch as Beck strides across theyard and slams the door to the barn. I can’t help but smile. It looks likethere’s already trouble in paradise. I’m not surprised. The girl is human. Thewoman Beck married might have everything necessary to be a bondmate, but shehasn’t been trained.

I think of all the curses I can put on the redhead. It wouldgive me great pleasure to watch as the king’s new bride’s hair falls out or herskin withers and dies on her body. It won’t take much. The human isill-prepared for life on this plane. She will likely have no defenses in placeagainst a nicely crafted spell. It’s tempting, but there are ways to track aspell back to its originator. I have to be careful with my magic. After all,I’m supposed to be a simple Fae lady, not a hag of immense power. I would havekilled Cian Finn years ago if I was able to truly use my skills without fear ofretribution.

It’s incomprehensible that Beck chose that idiot human overme. I’m beautiful. I made sure of it when I started this mission. I chose theperfect façade. Liadan O’Neill is every inch the elegant Fae lady. I turnedmyself into the perfect bait. My looks and manners should have been enough toensure that the twins fell in love with me. It hadn’t happened that way. Ittook a long time to get Beck to come to my bed, and Cian avoids me altogether.

I’m not sure what is between the human and Beck. He isn’tsleeping with his new bride for some reason. He won’t be able to resist her forlong though. He broke off his relationship with me. Beck wasted no time doingit, either. He knocked on my door earlier this afternoon and refused to comein. He told me that he’s married and won’t be seeing me again. It was obviousthat he was trying to be kind, but there had been a dismissiveness to the wholeconversation that infuriates me even now.

I watch the barn and wonder if the king mentioned me to hisbride. I rather think not. Perhaps tomorrow I’ll visit the little human andintroduce myself. After all, we are neighbors.

I can use this new scenario to my advantage. I can use herto kill the twins.

Humming, I walk back across the fields to my own house.

ChapterNineteen

Meg

Warmth surrounds me as I gradually come to my sensesthe next morning. I snuggle closer to the heat source and sigh as Cian pulls mecloser. He’s a cuddler. He was a perfect gentleman, but was very insistent onspooning me and holding me close all night. His hair was tangled around me. Ittickles my skin and warms me.

I thought I would be up all night thinking about Beck, butCian seems to have a soothing effect on me. The minute he wrapped himselfaround me, I heard a low, soothing hum in the back of my brain. It took me amoment to realize it was coming from him. It was like white noise, and ithummed me gently to sleep.

It’s another noise entirely that forces me from the warmthof Cian’s arms.

The door slams, and there’s the unmistakable sound of anengine coming to life. It doesn’t sound like any car I can remember, but I knowinstantly what it is. It has to be that cool-looking Harley of Dante’s. I wantto see it in action, so I scramble out of my warm bed, despite Cian’s sleepyprotests.

There’s a robe lying across the end of the bed. I put it onand rush out of the bedroom. I throw open the door with a smile on my face,ready to demand a ride from Dante.

My smile quickly dissolves when I realize Dante already hasa passenger. Beck is seated on the back of the big bike that now hovers twofeet in the air. The wheels of the bike have disappeared, and there’s anoticeable cloud of dust under the vehicle.

“Crap.” Dante looks up from strapping his gear on the back,his face falling when he sees me. He stands beside the bike. “We have company.”

The last is said to Beck, who turns and stares at me withdark, surprised eyes.

“I left you a note,” he says almost defensively.

I feel my heart seize. He left me a note? Why did he need toleave a note if he’s going joyriding with his cousin? That’s all it can be,right? “Where are you going?”

Dante backs off. He seems determined to stay out of whateveris about to happen between me and Beck.

Beck stays on the bike, turning to me slightly. “I explainedit all in the note. I have to go to work. The best work I can get is on theVampire plane, working for Dante’s company. It’s rough work in a dangerous partof that world. You’ll be more comfortable here. I’ll be back in a few weeks.”

“Weeks?” I practically shout the question. He’s leaving me.We’ve been married for two days, and he’s leaving me. All my old doubts floodback like a tidal wave. At least Michael stayed for a couple of years. Beckisn’t even staying for a week. He’s leaving me with Cian, a stranger with abunch of problems. I have no idea how to help him. I’m completely lost in thisalien land. I don’t even know which horses will try to eat me. Panic seizes me.“I’ll go with you.”