I hugged her and she gave me a one-armed hug in return. I glanced down to see her other hand holding Kope’s. I didn’t know who’d initiated the contact, but it made me so happy. I gave her a wink and she bit her lip against an unsure smile. It was that moment when I knew for certain that though it would not be easy for Zania, she would make it. She would be okay. And so would Kopano.
We said our good-byes and took Kope to the airport. I hugged him, and he slapped hands with Blake, bumping shoulders. I was thankful to see he and Kai share a meaningful look when they shook hands. No smiles, but something apologetic passed between them.
Blake insisted on renting a car to drive himself back to Santa Barbara that day. I felt bad that he had to do that, but he was as laid-back as always, pleased about picking out a convertible. He lifted me off my feet when he hugged me, reminding me of Jay until he licked my cheek and said, “Yep, you’re salty,” before placing me back on my feet. Leave it to Blake.
Kaidan thumped Blake’s ear. “Keep your tongue to yourself.”
The two of them hugged, slapping backs. I was sad to see Blake go.
I didn’t let go of Kaidan’s hand the whole way to his apartment. I knew he had to be as hungry as me, even hungrier, but when we got to his place we went straight to the couch, snuggling while we awaited my father. There would be time to eat later, but who knew how long it would be until we could touch again? I had a horrible fear Dad was going to pull some you-can’t-talk-to-each-other-again stunt. I tried to mentally prepare myself for that argument. Kaidan and I would have to take extreme care, now more than ever. For all I knew, there could be a hit against me this very moment. The Dukes could decide to have another Great Purge, cleansing the earth of all Neph. But we had Dad, and he had connections, so I refused to lose hope.
I jumped when Dad’s knuckles rapped on the door. Kai gave me one last affectionate look before getting up to open it. The two of them nodded at each other, and Dad came in without a word. He remained standing, appearing too agitated to sit. Kai leaned against the door with his arms crossed.
“I heard them talking when they got back to Vegas. Flynn is dead,” Dad stated.
I swallowed hard and nodded.
“What happened yesterday?” Dad asked me.
I got straight to the point, telling him how the Dukes came to the island and we’d had to hide. “They talked about the prophecy. Rahab knows I’m the one. They want to kill me and maybe kill us all. They know there’s a traitor, but Flynn wouldn’t tell them anything.”
“Tell me exactly what they said. Every word from the beginning.”
He sat next to me on the black leather couch now, listening as Kaidan and I told every detail. Kai never moved from his spot against the door. A brutal look came over Dad’s face and we were quiet for a while.
“I’ll put tails on the Dukes,” Dad said, still staring off in thought.
“What about Jezebet and her daughter?” I asked. “The Dukes can use them to know you’re lying.” I gasped, feeling strangled. “They must already know! You lied at that summit!”
“Jezebet is an ally.” Dad’s voice was calm and I stared at him. So many secrets. I wondered how many other unknown allies we had, but he would never tell me. Need to know basis.
“And her daughter?” I asked, thinking about the creepy girl on the boat.
He shook his head. “Caterina. She wasn’t in New York for that summit. Too young. She just started training. Jezebet has an older daughter, too, an elderly woman who raised the girl. Neither of them are ally material.”
I shivered, remembering Caterina’s dark glee.
My mind wandered to Flynn and my heart wailed. “Daddy . . .” I whispered. His eyes found mine and I went on. “Why didn’t anyone intervene for Flynn? I thought the angels would come for him, but they didn’t.”
He just looked at me, so sad, without answering. Because that was the way it was for the Neph. Good or bad, our fate was hell after death. I shook my head and lowered my face to my hands. It was wrong. I couldn’t understand it. I didn’t want to think about what Flynn was experiencing right now after having been so brave on earth.
Dad opened his mouth to say something and closed it again. Anything he could say about it would sound clichéd. It’ll all make sense some day. It’s not our place to question. Ugh! My heart did not want to accept those answers.
When Dad opened his mouth again it was to completely change the subject. “You’re going to have to move, Anna. I can’t have you in Atlanta anymore.”
My heart sunk at the thought of leaving the only home I’d ever known, and my friends, but I nodded. It would be a relief to be farther away from Pharzuph.
“I’ll still be a nomad, but at the summit I was told to concentrate on the Washington, DC, area now. That’s most likely where I’ll move you.”
“And Patti?” I asked.
Dad scrubbed his face with his dry palms. “I don’t know, baby. I hate to say it, but she might be a liability for you. They could use her against you if they figure out how close you are.”
My eyes filled with moisture. I wanted to be strong, but Patti was my home. I couldn’t imagine life without her.
“You’ll have a bit more time with her while I get all the details worked out.” He patted my knee. His voice got thicker and gruffer when he was emotional. “Everything I’ve done has been to protect you, Anna. I need you to know that. Sending the whisperers to haunt you that night, this thing with the two boys, making you move, all of it. I hate to see you upset, but it’s all been for the best.”
“What thing with the two boys?”
Dad stared at me. “I . . .” He glanced at Kaidan, who was glaring purposefully at the carpet and cracking his knuckles. Dad looked back at me and I felt ill at the sight of regret in his eyes. “I thought he’d tell you.”
“Tell me what?”
“Listen,” Dad said, holding up his palms. “Calm down, okay? The son of Alocer is the only Neph not being watched. I thought maybe the two of you would end up together. And you’d be happy and safe. . . .”
His voice tapered off and he watched me, waiting for my reaction.
“Did you tell this to Kope?” I whispered as the picture crashed down in my mind, an ugly puzzle coming together.
Dad shook his head. “No.”
“But you told this to Kai when you commanded him to stay away from me, didn’t you?” I held Dad’s eyes, mortified.
“Yes. I told the son of Pharzuph—”
“Kaidan,” I cut in. “His name is Kaidan.”
“I told Kaidan. At the time he agreed it was best for you.”
I tried to imagine Dad telling Kaidan that I’d be better off with Kopano. My heart was in my throat when I whispered, “What was he supposed to say? You’re a freaking Duke!”
“No, Anna,” Kaidan said quietly.
Dad and I lifted our eyes to him. “I did agree with him at the time.”
“Yeah, and you were both wrong,” I said before turning on Dad again. “Please tell me you realize how wrong it was!”
Dad held up his hands in defense. “Wrong to hope you’d fall in love with a good guy? I wasn’t trying to hurt you. I was just setting up circumstances that could help you out and make two people happy at the same time. If this kid wasn’t in the picture, it might have worked.” He hitched a thumb at Kaidan and my cheeks burned.
“But he was in the picture, Daddy. And still is. That’s why it was wrong! All three of us ended up hurting.”
I stood up straight and swallowed hard while Dad rubbed his head, staring down at the floor.
We were nothing but puppets to the other Dukes, but I couldn’t stand to think of Dad treating us that way, no matter how “good” his intentions were.
“Dad,” I began, “please be honest with me from now on. No more secrets or schemes.”
“All right,” he said.
“I mean it. And I understand that I have to be safe and careful about my relationships, but you ca
n’t cut me off completely from the people I love.”
“I’m sorry, okay? I’m no good at this fathering thing. I never meant for anyone to get hurt. I thought what the two of you had was maybe just a passing thing. When I figured out it wasn’t going to work with you and Kope, I bought you a ticket to come here. I don’t know what else I can do to make it right. I know you’re mad, but you’re alive, and I’ll keep you safe at all costs.”
I slumped on the couch, keeping distance between Dad and me.
Kaidan finally looked at me, but his expression was guarded. His hands were stuffed deep in his pockets. I tried to apologize with my eyes. I was more hurt for him than myself. I couldn’t believe he’d been forced to go through that. And he let it happen. He could have called me and told me Dad’s stupid hopes or let it slip to Marna. But he didn’t. Because he’d thought Dad was right.
I swallowed hard, blinking back more hot moisture from my eyes. With a hesitant motion Dad reached for my hand. I let him take it, feeling his thumb rasp over my knuckles. I knew he loved me, but his methods were killing me.
“Things are gonna change now. I won’t try to keep you two from communicating, but I will tell you this.” He looked back and forth between Kaidan and me. “You will only speak to each other and see each other when I tell you it’s safe. That is my one stipulation, and it must be met. We are in more danger now than ever before. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir,” we both said.
All that mattered was that at some point Kaidan and I would be able to talk and see each other. Maybe not often, but it was something. All we had to do in the meantime was survive.
As always, Dad was thinking about our survival, too. He pointed at Kaidan.
“I’ve been watching you. I’ve probably had my eye on you more than your own father this past year.” Kaidan met his eyes. “I’ll tell you exactly what I tell Anna. You’ve got to at least appear to be working. You can’t sit at home. Get yourself out to the parties and bars three or four nights a week. Do not get comfortable. Work if you have to. Anna will understand. Won’t you, Anna?” he asked me pointedly.
“Yes,” I said with a sour taste in my mouth. “I’ve already told him that.”
“Can you keep up appearances, kid?”
Kaidan responded with no enthusiasm. “Yes, sir.”
“Same with you, gal,” he said now, turning to me. “We’ve got to get you enrolled in a college and I expect you to jump right in and make a name for yourself. And when you feel like slacking, remember what happened to Flynn.” My eyes dropped to the floor. “Don’t let his death be in vain. Let it always be a warning. Got that?”
“Yes,” I whispered.
“Good. In the meantime we’re still building our ally list. I’m looking into the son of Shax right now. Not sure about him yet, but he’d be a great asset.”
Shax. The Duke of Theft.
Dad stood. “I’ll let you two say your good-byes. You have one hour and then I’ll be back to take you to the airport.” He kissed my forehead, then walked to Kaidan, who kept his head down. Dad put his hand on Kai’s shoulder and squeezed until Kai looked up at him. “You’re not a bad kid. I see that now. You’ll make a good ally.” He gave Kaidan’s shoulder a hard pat and left the apartment.
We stood there in an awkward silence, and then I went to him, taking his fingertips in mine. His eyes were downcast. I didn’t think either of us was ready to talk just yet. Instead, I led him into the kitchen. I wanted to cook for him one last time.
He sat on a stool, watching me with the saddest expression, silent. His pain was a presence with me while I boiled pasta and heated spaghetti sauce. As it simmered I looked through his fridge and freezer.
“You’ll need fresh milk soon,” I told him. “And probably more eggs, too. Eggs are an easy thing you can make yourself. All these meals are labeled with cooking instructions. Remember how I showed you—”
“Anna.”
I kept staring in the fridge, not wanting to cry. Kaidan stood and pried my fingers from the handle and closed the door, turning me and wrapping his arms around me. I buried my face in his chest.
“I’m so sorry for all you’ve been through,” I said.
“Don’t worry about me. None of it’s your fault.”
“I should have known. Something felt wrong, but I never thought my dad—” I took a breath and swallowed hard.
“It will be different this time. We can manage.” He kissed the top of my head, not letting me go.
Life would be so much different now that we’d opened up, giving and receiving each other’s love. Nobody and nothing could take that away—not the Dukes or any distance that separated us. We had a secret knowledge that demons couldn’t fathom. They saw love as a weakness, but they were wrong. Love would keep us going. Love was our strength.
I felt shaky as I held him close and nurtured the sweet hope that had risen inside me.
The pasta timer went off and he released me, walking to the sink to peer out the window.
I sighed and went to the stove. We only had forty more minutes together and I wanted our last moments to be good ones.
“Hungry?” I asked.
He turned with a small smile. “Do you really need to ask?”
I fixed us plates and we managed to twine our fingers together and twirl spaghetti one-handed. Afterward I took a superfast shower, not wanting to be away from him any longer than necessary. For the remaining time we lay on the couch together, staring, touching, memorizing.
“I love you,” I whispered.
“I’ve loved you longer,” he said.
A pleasant tingle spread over my skin. I pulled back in surprise, feeling my eyebrows come together.
He chuckled and linked our fingers. “It’s true.”
“I don’t believe you,” I said.
He buried his face in my hair and neck, not looking at me as he spoke. “I couldn’t get you out of my head after we met. I told myself it was the novelty of an innocent Neph girl, but it was more than that. You see the best in everyone.” He paused to kiss my earlobe. “You drove me mad that trip, little Ann. I’d never been more terrified of my own self than I was when I realized I fancied you. And then you gave that homeless woman all your money in Hollywood, and that was it. I was done.”
I pulled back to look at him. His eyes were gorgeous as he remembered, and I’d never been more turned on. I didn’t care if my dad was listening. I put my fingers in Kaidan’s sea-salted hair and pulled him to me. He didn’t hold back, either, and I threw a leg over his hip, moving closer. It wasn’t a kiss of desperation, like so many we’d shared. This was a kiss of elation that came from knowing we were wanted and needed. I wished I could suspend time and wrap myself in this moment.
His hands roamed over me and I moved closer, wanting so much more of him. I’d fallen further in love with Kaidan over the last few days. Witnessing his willingness to face peril—his bravery and strength under pressure—was sexier than anything I’d ever seen.
I didn’t know exactly what the future held, but I knew we were a team. Parting today would not break us. I took in the scent of him, the sweetness of his pheromones and the natural boy-smell of his skin. I took in the feel of his soft lips and his firm body as he pressed it against me and moved in the exact right ways. I took in the sight of him, the waves of hair over his angled face and the passion in his eyes when he looked at me.
As he did now.
Each of these things I etched into my memory to be remembered and cherished at future times.
“We’re gonna be okay,” I whispered between kisses.
“Better than okay,” he said with a grin. And then he kissed me again and I pulled him until he rolled on top of me.
“I want to take you with me,” I said.
“So you can drive me mad like this every day?”
Was he kidding? He was the one making me all crazy.
“I think someone’s coming up the stairs,” Kaidan whispered, then kissed
under my ear.
“No. Not yet.” I arched into him and held him tight.
We were both breathing hard when Dad pounded on the door. We froze, an inch from each other’s lips, and I giggled.
Traveling the world in search of possibly hostile Neph and eluding murderous Dukes seemed like a piece of cake in comparison to trying to be a good girl in the arms of Kaidan Rowe.
God give me strength.
DUKE NAMES AND JOB DESCRIPTIONS INDEX
Duke Name: Job Description: Their Children
(Neph who appear in Sweet Peril)
Alocer (Al-ō-sehr): Wrath: spurning love, opting for destruction; quickness to anger; unforgivingness: Kopano (Kō-pah-nō)
Astaroth: Adultery: breaking marriage vows; cheating on one’s spouse: Ginger and Marna
Belial (Beh-leel): Substance abuse: physical addictions, primarily drugs and alcohol: Anna
Jezebet: Lies: being dishonest or deceptive: Caterina
Kobal (Kō-bal): Gluttony: consumption of more than one’s body needs or requires: also Sloth: avoidance of physical or spiritual work; laziness; apathy: Gerlinda (deceased)
Mammon: Greed: desire for earthly material gain; avarice; selfish ambition: Flynn
Melchom (Mel-kom): Envy: desire for others’ traits, status, abilities, or situations; jealousy; covetousness: Blake
Pharzuph (Far-zuf): Lust: craving for carnal pleasures of the body; sexual desire outside marriage: Kaidan (Ky-den)
Rahab (Rā-hab): Pride: excessive belief in one’s own abilities; vanity, sin from which others arise
Shax: Theft: stealing; taking what belongs to another for one’s self without payment
Sonellion: Hatred: promoting prejudices; ill will toward others; hostility: Zania
Thamuz (Thā-muz): Murder: taking the life of another person
BACK AD
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book was hard for me. It took many, many drafts before the story in my heart finally came clear and I fell in love with it. I could not have done it without the help of a ton of people.
For supporting and encouraging me, along with providing invaluable feedback, I thank my friends and beta reader/critique partners: Kelley Vitollo (for saving the brownies from burning), Jennifer Armentrout (from saving Kai from you know what), Evie Burdette, Sharon M. Johnston, Jolene Perry, Meredith Crowley, Courtney Fetchko, Brooke Leicht, Leigh Fallon, Morgan Shamy, Jolene Perry, Nicola Dorrington, Liz (midnightbloom), Ezmirelda, Carolee Noury, Gwen Cole, Corri Ell, Bobbi Doyle, Carrie McRae, Ann Kulakowski, Janelle Harris, Joanne Hazlett, Hilary Mahalchick, Holly Andrzejewski, Kristy Finucan, Christine Friend, Danielle Daniels, Valerie Friend, Meghan Lublin, and Carol Moore.
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