Eternal Bond : (The Cursed Series, Book 3)

by Kara Leigh Miller

  I laughed.

  “Can I tell you a secret?” Abby asked.

  “Of course.” I set my phone aside and gave her my full attention.

  “I kind of like Wyatt.”

  I grinned. At least she didn’t say Isach. “Wyatt’s great. He’s quiet, but he’s funny, too,” I said.

  “He is so hot,” she said, dramatically fanning her face. “Do you think he likes me?”

  “Want me to talk to him for you? Maybe the four of us could hang out,” I offered.

  Abby’s eyes widened. “Really? Ahh!” She squealed. “That would be so awesome!” She snatched my phone and shoved it into my hands. “Call him right now. Let’s hang out tomorrow We can go to the country club. Oh!” She bounced on my bed. “We could hike Roaring Brook Falls, or walk the trails and have a picnic.”

  I stared at her a moment. Why would she want to go to Roaring Brook Falls? That’s where Rachel’s body had been found. Surely, Abby remembered that. Or maybe she’d just come to terms with what had happened. Who was I to judge?

  “What’re you waiting for?” She looked at me like I was crazy. “Call him!”

  “Okay, calm down.” I dialed Trent’s number, and he answered immediately, as if he’d been waiting for me to call. “Hey,” I said.

  He groaned in that way that drove me nuts, and I shifted on the bed, wishing he were here with me right now.

  “Hearing your voice and not being able to touch you is the worst form of torture,” he said.

  “Stop.” I laughed. “It’s not that bad.”

  “Torture,” he said more forcefully. “What’re the chances you’re calling to tell me I need to come get you because you miss me so much you can’t stand it and you want to run away with me?”

  I laughed a little harder, despite the way my heart melted at his words. “Slim, but I do miss you so much I can’t stand it. Hey, Abby’s here with me, and I’m putting you on speaker. So, behave.” I hit the button for speaker and set the phone on the bed.

  “No promises.” He chuckled. “Hi, Abby.”

  “Hi, Trent,” she said, her gaze locked on me. She was smiling so hard I thought her face might split in two.

  “So, Abby and I were talking, and we thought it might be fun to go to Roaring Brook Falls tomorrow. Maybe hike to the top or walk the trails.” I glanced up at Abby, then back down at my phone. “Do you think Wyatt would want to go, too?”

  “I don’t know. Hold on.” Trent hollered for Wyatt, and a second later, his voice came through the phone.

  “Hey, Chloe,” Wyatt said. “And Abby.”

  Abby’s face flushed red, and she sat up straight, hands clasped over her mouth. “Hi,” she mumbled around her fingers.

  “Hi, Wyatt. Want to hang out with us tomorrow?” I asked.

  “Abby will be there?” he asked.

  “Yep.” I couldn’t contain my smile.

  “It’s a date,” Wyatt said.

  “Oh, my God,” Abby mouthed.

  I’d never seen her so quiet before. I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of her possibly falling in love with a vampire, but Wyatt was a million times better for her than Isach. Besides, if things went well and Abby and Wyatt got serious, she’d find out the truth, and then I wouldn’t have to hide it from her. I could actually talk to her about everything.

  “Are y’all in here making plans without me?” Whitney said.

  “Hey, Whitney.” I laughed. “We’re hanging out at the falls tomorrow. You can come, if you want.”

  There were hushed whispers that I couldn’t quite decipher.

  Then, Whitney said, “I don’t want to be the fifth wheel.”

  There was too much sadness in her tone, and I felt bad. I didn’t want to exclude her, but if she did go, she would feel left out.

  “I’m sorry,” I said.

  “Don’t worry about it. But let’s have a sleepover here tomorrow night,” she said.

  Here meant Trent’s house. There was no way Aunt Beth would be okay with that. Then again, she didn’t know about my relationship with Trent… As far as she knew, we’d be going to a friend’s house. Nothing more.

  “Deal,” I said.

  “Good, now get out of my room,” Trent said. “I’m trying to talk to my girlfriend.”

  Hearing him call me that sent a thrill up my spine. A moment later, it was much quieter on his end of the phone. I could picture him in his room, laying on his bed, one hand tucked behind his head. The need to be there with him consumed me.

  “Chloe, honey?” His voice was a deep, raspy whisper.

  God, I loved it when he called me honey like that. “Yeah?”

  “Can you please take me off speaker now?” There was a certain lilt to his tone, a warning that he needed to say stuff that Abby couldn’t hear.

  I scooped the phone from the bed and shut off the speaker. “Okay,” I said.

  “Do you think this is a good idea… Abby and Wyatt?”

  I chewed on my bottom lip. This wasn’t exactly something I could talk about with Abby sitting right next to me. “I don’t know. I—”

  “Girls!” Aunt Beth shouted up the stairs. “Movie time!”

  Abby scrambled off my bed. “I’m gonna go change real quick. I’ll meet you downstairs.” And then she was out of my room.

  “It’s better than her getting messed up with Isach again,” I said, careful to keep my voice low so Abby wouldn’t overhear me. Not that I thought she was in the hall eavesdropping, but I needed to be cautious.

  “True,” he said.

  “Is it a good idea for us to have a sleepover at your house tomorrow night?”

  He chuckled. “I’ll make sure everyone is well fed before you two get here, and Whitney will probably keep you locked up in her room all night anyway. You’re like shiny new toys to her.”

  “All right, well, I gotta go. Movie night is starting.”

  Trent sighed. “I wish I was there with you.”

  Instantly, I was hit with image after image of Trent and I snuggled on the couch, blanket draped over us as we sat in the dark watching movies. His arms around me, protecting me. My head and arm draped over him like I’d done so many times. His lips seeking mine again and again.

  I groaned. “Me too.”

  “Have fun with your family,” he said.

  “I’m sure I will.” I got off the bed and rummaged around in the dresser for a pair of pajamas. I’d be so glad when I got some of my own clothes.

  “And Chloe?”

  “Yeah?” Why was I suddenly so breathless?

  “I love you.”

  My heart skipped several beats, then fluttered uncontrollably in my chest. Warmth spread through my veins, leaving me feeling flushed and lightheaded. “I love you, too,” I whispered.

  We ended the call, and I pulled an Abby—I clutched my phone to my chest, swooned like a girl in love, and then I danced around, squealing.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN:

  Double Date

  “CAN’T YOU DRIVE ANY FASTER?” I glanced at the speedometer.

  “Oh, my God.” Abby laughed. “I’m doing the speed limit. I don’t want a ticket. Mom and Dad will kill me.”

  Groaning, I rested my head on the back of the seat. The falls weren’t that far from our house, but it felt like it was taking forever to get there, and I couldn’t wait another second to see Trent.

  “So, I think Gina really likes Jax,” Abby said.

  I straightened, every nerve in my body suddenly on high alert. “I told you. Things with him are complicated right now. He needs… space.”

  “I know, but she has not stopped talking about that kiss.” Abby slowed as a car pulled out in front of her. “It was intense. I couldn’t breathe afterward.” She laughed again.

  My hand curled into a fist near my leg, and I turned to look out the passenger window so she wouldn’t see the scowl etched across my face. That kiss was nothing. Sure, it was pretty hot for two strangers, but I knew what Jax was capable of. I knew firsthand how h
e could set you on fire with a single kiss, make you crazy with desire, make you want more even though you know you shouldn’t.

  Instinctively, I reached for my neck, my fingers finding the bite mark as if I had no control whatsoever. Jax said they’d fade—eventually. But when would that happen? I momentarily closed my eyes and sighed.

  “Do you think Wyatt will kiss me like that?” Abby asked.

  “I’m sure he will,” I said.

  Poor Abby had no idea what she was asking for. Kissing a vampire was nothing at all like kissing a human boy. It was going to overwhelm her, and there was nothing I could say to prepare her.

  Finally, she pulled into the parking lot, and my gaze was drawn to Trent’s truck. He leaned on the front of it, arms crossed, sunglasses perched on his face.

  My heart kickstarted at the sight of him, and I was out of the car before Abby had it in park. When he saw me, he straightened, and then I flung myself at him—I probably looked like a lunatic. He caught me easily, and then our lips met in a firestorm of heated, hungry kisses.

  “Well, that’s not awkward or anything,” Abby said.

  “You get used to it. Trust me.” Wyatt laughed.

  Trent released me and raised his sunglasses just enough to peer into my eyes. “Did you sleep last night?”

  I shrugged. “A little.”

  The nightmares hadn’t been as bad, but I just wasn’t used to sleeping alone anymore. It was going to take some time to adjust.

  He frowned.

  “I’m okay.” I ran my hand down his chest and smiled.

  Taking my hand, he laced our fingers and squeezed gently. “Okay, so, are we hiking to the top or walking the trails?”

  “Let’s walk the trails,” Wyatt suggested. “That way, we can actually have a conversation.” He motioned for Abby to lead the way. “Ladies first.”

  She blushed ten different shades of pink before taking a step forward. When she did, Wyatt fell into step beside her. She glanced over her shoulder and gave me a thumbs up.

  I laughed.

  Trent and I walked behind them, giving them a bit of privacy to talk. And, truth be told, I wanted the same with Trent. I looped my arm around his and rested my head on his upper arm, and we strolled in peaceful silence for a while. I was perfectly content to just be near him. Before I realized it, we were at the base of the falls.

  Wyatt and Abby sat on a large rock near the water, so engrossed in their own conversation they seemed to forget we were there.

  “This is where you brought me the day you turned me into a delinquent,” I teased, turning to face him and wrapping my arms around his back.

  He laughed. “I remember that day a little differently.”

  “Oh yeah? And how do you remember it?”

  “I brought you here so we could talk about our history paper, and you decided to play daredevil on the rocks. You nearly fell in and drowned.”

  Laughing, I playfully slapped his back. “That is not what happened at all.”

  “No?” A single brow lifted above the rim of his glasses, and a teasing smile curved the corners of his lips. “Know what did happen that day, though?”

  “What?”

  He pushed his glasses up to rest on his head. His eyes were sharp blue, lust and love swirling behind his gaze. Not even the sound of the falls crashing behind me could dull the sound of my heart hammering in my ears.

  “I sat on that rock, and when I put my arm around you, you rested your head on my shoulder and sighed. In that split second, I wanted to tell you everything about me. I wanted to come clean, because I refused to kiss you until you knew the truth about me. And God, Chloe, I wanted to kiss you so bad that day.”

  I stared up at him, speechless. I remembered that moment with perfect clarity—It was the first time I’d felt safe and whole since my mother had died.

  “I wanted you to kiss me that day,” I whispered. The disappointment when he hadn’t had been crushing.

  “That was the day I stopped fighting how I felt.” He cradled my face in his hands. “That was the day I admitted to myself I was in love with you.”

  “Trent.” My eyelids fluttered closed, and I leaned into him.

  I had no idea why he was telling me this, and I didn’t care what his reasons were. I only cared that he didn’t stop talking, because I wanted to know everything.

  His hands moved to circle my waist, and he took a few steps forward, moving me backward, out of the way of people walking the trail, never once losing his hold on me.

  “That was the day my life changed,” he said.

  “For better or worse?” I asked with a teasing smile.

  “A little bit of both.” He winked. “But mostly for the better.”

  I laughed, and he responded with a breathtaking smile. “Know what I remember about that day?” I said.

  “What?”

  “Feeling so utterly safe with you.” I blew out a breath, my voice shaky with emotion. “That for the first time since my mom had died, I didn’t have a gaping hole in my chest.”

  Trent’s only response was a tender kiss that was hotter than anything I’d ever felt in my life. My body screamed for me to press closer, to demand more, but Trent was in complete control, and all I could do was take what he gave me—and it made my head spin in the best way imaginable.

  “Ugh, not again,” Abby said, though despite her complaint, there was a playfulness in her tone.

  Trent smiled against my lips, then whispered, “There. Now I can say I finally kissed you at the falls.”

  I rested my cheek on his chest and glanced at Abby. Her hand was firmly entwined with Wyatt’s. I raised a brow and grinned. Abby blushed. Clearly, they were getting along well.

  “We’re going to keep walking. Want to come?” Wyatt asked.

  Nodding, I straightened. Trent draped his arm around my shoulders, and we walked with Abby and Wyatt. The three of them talked about school and all the upcoming senior activities, but my mind was still back there at the base of the falls, replaying everything Trent had said to me.

  The last time he’d bared his soul like that, he’d asked me to change for him. Was he going to ask again? Even if I wanted to say yes, I couldn’t. Not now that Isach knew who I was.

  “Chloe?” Abby said.

  “Huh?” I shook the thoughts from my mind.

  “I said we have to ask Mom about the sleepover tonight. You should ask her, considering Whitney’s your friend.”

  “Oh, right. Yeah.”

  “Mom’s going to insist on talking to Whitney’s dad first.” Abby rolled her eyes. “I swear, it’s like she thinks I’m still seven or something.”

  “I’ll text Chloe with his number so your mom can call him,” Trent said smoothly.

  Whitney’s parents were dead. So, whose number was he going to send me? Sean’s? Would he lie for us like that? If so, he was literally the coolest dad on the planet.

  Trent veered off the worn path, and I followed; Abby and Wyatt were close behind. Holding back a low hanging tree branch, Trent nodded for me to go ahead.

  I stepped into a secluded, grassy knoll. I glanced around. The sound of rushing water was a distant hum. Wildflowers circled the perimeter, hugging the base of massive tree trunks that provided just the right amount of shade.

  “Whoa,” Abby said, standing beside me. “I never knew this was here.”

  “There are spots like this up and down the trail,” Trent said. “You just have to know where to look. A lot of people will set up picnics and spend the day.”

  The mention of a picnic made my stomach rumble. “I’m starving,” I said

  “Trent and I packed food,” Wyatt said with a grin.

  “You two stay here. Wyatt and I will run back to the truck and get everything,” Trent said. He leaned down and gave me a quick kiss. “Please don’t leave this spot.”

  “I won’t,” I promised. When they left, I turned to Abby. “So… how are things going with Wyatt? I want all the details.”

/>   She laughed. “Well, you were right. He’s so nice. And funny. I like him so much, Chloe.” Her eyes took on a faraway dreamy look.

  I was thrilled that she was happy, but I knew how this would end—the same way Trent and I were destined to end: with heartbreak. And I didn’t want that for her.

  “Take it slow, okay?” I said gently, hoping to ease the blow I knew my words would deliver.

  “Oh, this coming from the girl who is already saying “I love you” and practically having sex.” She crossed her arms. “How long have you known Trent?”

  “A few months.” At least that was what she thought. I knew better.

  “Exactly,” she snapped.

  My brows lifted with surprise. What was her problem? All I’d done was suggest she take things slow, and now she was biting my head off.

  “Sorry I said anything,” I said, though I didn’t really mean it. But I didn’t want to ruin the day by fighting with her.

  “No, I’m sorry.” Abby sighed. “I didn’t mean to sound so harsh.” She gave me an apologetic smile. “Trent’s great. You two are perfect together.”

  “Thanks.”

  “It’s just…” She scuffed her toe across the grass. “I guess I’m jealous. I want that, too. I want someone to look at me the way Trent looks at you.” Sadness infused her words.

  I hugged her, which I think shocked her because she stood stiff for a few seconds before returning my hug. “You will, Abby.”

  She was a good person, and she deserved to find an epic love and be happy. I just wasn’t sure Wyatt was that person for her. I barely knew the guy. Maybe he was just looking for someone to pass the time until he moved on.

  “I should call Aunt Beth, ask her about tonight,” I said, releasing Abby.

  She nodded, eyes once again vibrant and excited. I pulled my phone from my pocket and scrolled through my contacts until I found Aunt Beth; then I pressed the green phone symbol.

  Aunt Beth answered much faster than I expected. “Is everything all right? Are you girls having fun?” she asked, a hint of worry in her tone.

  “Huh? Oh, yeah, everything’s fine. We’re having a great time.”

  Abby leaned closer, trying to hear what was being said. I held the phone out so she could hear better.