“He hasn’t spoken to me in two days, Daphne. I don’t think he’ll ever forgive me.”
“Of course, he will,” she said, rolling her eyes. “He’s your mate.”
“That doesn’t always mean everything is roses,” I fired back.
“Love never is,” she said, a soft sigh escaping her lips. “Love is messy and brilliant. Exciting and terrifying. Love is all things, not just the cheesy parts.”
I narrowed my gaze at her. “How would you know,” I challenged.
She held her arms out horizontally. “I read,” she said almost as if she were saying duh.
“Not everything is a fairytale.”
“Not every romance novel is one either.” She stared me down, and I dropped my shoulders in defeat. Had to hand it to her, she had a fierce side right alongside her angelic one.
“If he wanted to talk to me, he would.” I knew that. Lachlan never did anything he didn’t want to do.
“Maybe you should stop waiting around for him to approach you. You’ve never been one for patience, Valor. Don’t start now.”
“Why does it matter so much to you,” I said. “Can’t I hide away with you for the rest of forever?” I teased.
She pursed her lips. “It matters because you love him. I’ve never seen you love like you love him. And while I’d love for us to bury our heads in the sand and lose ourselves to Bridgerton for the next month, we can’t do that. We have a responsibility to help the Order in whatever way we can. To stop the Sons agenda and once and for all put an end to the ignorance and hate they breed.”
I raised my brows, sitting up slightly in my chair. “When did you get so grown up?”
“Being held against your will can do that to a girl,” she tried to joke, but it stung the center of my chest. She waved off my attempt to apologize again. “Besides, I’ll be seventeen next week.”
I nodded, forcing a smile. “I’m sure Avi will help me throw you the best party ever.”
A real smile cracked her lips. “Will there be cake?”
“Absolutely,” I said. “You like red velvet, right?”
She nodded, then her eyes widened. “Is that bad? Because it’s red. Will that offend—”
I laughed, shaking my head. “The color red doesn’t make them think about blood, Daphne,” I said. “Well, not about drinking yours, anyway.” My cheeks heated with the craving pulsing in my veins for Lachlan to sink his fangs into my neck again. I hurried to clear my throat that was suddenly dry. “There is so much we didn’t know about vampires,” I said. “So many good and amazing things. I can’t wait to tell you about them all.”
She nodded, then yawned.
“Tomorrow,” I said, chuckling. “We’ll start the vampire gossip train tomorrow.”
“I’m so tired,” she said, and I rose from the chair.
“Get some rest,” I said from her door.
“Talk to Lachlan,” she fired back.
I shook my head, then shut the door behind me. My eyes instantly found his door, not five feet away from the one I stood outside of. Right next to mine. Apprehension bloomed in my chest, making it hard to breathe.
I put one foot in front of the other, deciding Daphne was right, at least in some regard. We needed to talk. I needed him to rip the Band-Aide off quickly if he’d decided he wanted to deny the bond and go our separate ways.
The notion was like a knife to the chest, but I knocked on his door despite the pain.
I felt him down the bond before he opened the door—broody, angry, hungry.
“Lachlan,” I said, tipping my chin as he opened the door. “Do you have a minute?”
His eyes scanned the length of my body, and I felt every graze like a brand. He leaned against his door, debating, holding me in that agony for a full minute before he stepped aside.
I walked past him, my body and heart crying out to close the distance between us.
I didn’t obey my instincts and instead walked to the sitting area across his room—far from the bed. But it didn’t matter. Lachlan had claimed me in almost every available inch of space in this room and mine. There would never be an escape from the memories or the need for more.
“Aren’t you going to speak to me?” I asked when he’d taken up a good lean against his wardrobe next to the chairs and table gathered in the corner where I stood.
He arched a brow at me.
I glared at him, my anger quickly outweighing the need for him. “I understand you’re angry with me, Lachlan, but you can’t simply ignore me for the rest of your life.”
He flashed me a look that said he could damn well try.
I stomped my foot, practically growling. “I’m sorry, okay! I’m fucking sorry I chained you to the bed. That was cruel, and I took away your choice, and I’m sorry. I was out of my mind with the thought that Kyle was laying a trap for you…which, hello, he was. And the idea of losing you…” My heated words cut off in a gasp, and I pressed my hand against my chest. “I couldn’t…” I swallowed hard, noting how his eyes had yet to soften, yet to flash with that swirl of understanding I’d grown so used to.