Page 15 of Blood Moon Bound

My mind kept replying my humiliation over and over again. The way Constantine stood in front of me, bare chested and tattooed, skin damp, hair wet, a look on his face like—I’d lost my mind completely.

I groaned, my face heating again.

Shoving back the covers, I pulled on my robe and headed downstairs. Maybe a book would shut my mind up. I walked into the library and I’d found Alice sitting in one of the overstuffed chairs reading. There was a big, steaming mug and a plate of cookies on the small table beside her.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” I said and took a step back, about to leave.

“Nonsense. Come in.” She held out her plate of cookies. “I like to read down here before bed, I find this room relaxing.”

I took one. “It is a nice room. I was just… I couldn’t sleep. I thought a book might help.”

“What are you in the mood for?”

I glanced around the large room. “I’m not sure.”

“How about a romance? I have a whole collection of them over there, on the middle shelf.”

“I wouldn’t know where to begin.”

Alice put her book aside and walked over scanning the colorful spines. “How about a handsome billionaire and his best friend’s younger sister?”

I blinked down at the book she held out.

“It’s one of my favorites,” she said. “The heroine’s had a crush on him for years and the hero finally pulls the stick out of his butt and makes a move when he sees her with someone else.” She cackled. “The hero loses his mind over it. It’s wonderful.”

I’d never read a romance before, but I liked the sound of it. I also liked the idea of the female having the upper hand for once. That was never the case in my experience.

I thanked her, took it to my room and got back into bed. After the first page I was hooked. I’d devoured almost half the book before my eyes started to droop, and I kept reading the same paragraph over and over again. I put the book down and let my eyes drift shut.

When I woke again, light was peeking through the curtains. I stretched, pushing back the covers and got out of bed, drawing back the curtains. I really hoped we had another overcast day. I wanted to venture out to the gardens again. The sun was trying to fight its way through the low clouds. I’d duck out right after breakfast. Just in case.

I turned from the window, and stilled—there was a rose on the pillow beside mine.

Red and long stemmed. I hadn’t picked any of the red ones yesterday, only pinks and yellows.

I looked around my room, as if the answer was there somewhere, but there was only one explanation, wasn’t there?

Constantine.

It had to have been him.

But why would he have done that?

I quickly showered. Thankfully, my clothes had been loaded into Constantine’s car by his people before we’d gone out to the garden, before Douglas had sent someone after us. I shoved all thought of him from my mind and opened my wardrobe.

Dresses mainly, all beautiful and no doubt costly. My mother had selected some new clothes for me, anticipating my entry into society and their own rise. She’d told me that I needed to look good at all times, that my mate would expect it.

The last thing I wanted to do was disappoint Constantine or embarrass him. I selected a sundress in a deep violet. It skimmed my upper body and flared out at my hips, hitting just above the knee. I slipped on silver sandals and spent time on my hair, added a touch of makeup, then headed downstairs.

Constantine wasn’t in the dining room this morning, and he didn’t join me. I forced myself to eat, but it was hard with my belly all fluttery and nervous. I heard footsteps and I sat up straighter, my insides doing a deep swoop.

Alice hustled around the corner, not Constantine, and I couldn’t decide if I was relieved or disappointed. I stood when she started clearing the table. “Thank you, Alice, breakfast was delicious.”

“You don’t need to thank me,” she said and gave me a wide grin, which told me she appreciated it all the same.

Because people liked to feel appreciated when they did nice things for others.

Like leave roses on their pillows.