And that included the Dark King.
Fucking Raphael.
Fucking Gods.
It was easy back in our former lives. This life seemed more complicated than the last. In fact, each life we had together seemed to get harder than the last. This one seemed especially so. I was desperate to get what we had, but it seemed she wasn’t having the same thoughts about me. She wasn’t feeling the same way. She didn’t remember me as I did her—that was so hard.
I turned on my playlist and plugged the earbuds into my ears and the power balladMyImmortal by Evanescenceroared into my brain. Dropping my head back onto the bench press, staring up at the track lighting on the ceiling. I groaned as I pushed the bar from the stand and lowered it to my chest, then pushed the bar off my chest and continued the momentum. As I listened to the song in my ear, and the words became clear.
It had seemed ages since I’d seen Lacey, but seeing her with Ryan had piqued my curiosity. Now I wish I’d given her my number the next day. That would be normal and not against any celestial rules. Maybe she thought I’d played it too cool, or worse, that I wasn’t interested at all. When all I wanted to do was give her some time. I didn’t want to push her, and I knew it mortified her at the thought of Carter finding out what we’d done.
Me, I didn’t give a shit. A great believer in treating a girl right, especially if I wanted her, and I’d always wanted her. That was why I found my way to her again. It was always her and only her.
But she confused me now and after seeing her with Ryan, was she using us all to get back at Carter? Was I the first to fall for her charms? I kept telling myself what Lacey did with me that night wasn’t about getting back at Carter, because the next morning she suddenly didn’t want him to know. She wanted it to be our secret, or was it our new start?
Once again.
Or was I wrong about everything and in this life she’d never feel the same way about me? See, I found my kindred spirit in this Lacey, but I sensed something was different this time. Yes, I found her again, the love that comes around rarely, someone you could laugh with, flirt with and be yourself with.
But she didn’t feel who I was. She should feel me. I'm her eternal love.
She let her guard down with me that night. Let herself go in a way I knew she hadn’t done before. At least in this life, she hadn’t. I felt she knew our past connected us when she looked at me. I was sure she recalled who I was for at least the briefest of moments.
I hated everything was different in this life. Especially when I promised her the next life would work, but what if she never felt me and, as Rapheal promised, there were other men in the mix… again. Kane seemed to ruin it for himself this time, which I was happy about.
And Blake, now strangely teamed with Jack and that dynamic was my biggest worry. I worried because I didn’t know how to read it because nothing was going as it had in previous lives, and I couldn’t help but wonder what her night with Jack and Blake would entail. Would she go back to their place? Would Blake win her over before me?
But Blake surprised me. He was almost letting Jack take over and taking a backseat wasn’t his thing normally. He promised to get Lacey to himself. And as he definitely wasn’t a sharer, causing many arguments in our last life. Though I can’t blame him for my sins. That thought made me bite the inside of my gum and I could taste the tangy coppery flavour of my blood.
Sorry, Aurora.
Hopefully, she wouldn’t recall the end—our end.
I felt a trickle of sweat across my forehead and as it ran down one side of my neck; I placed the bar back on the bench press and wiped it with a wet wipe. Running my towel over my forehead, I strolled over to the dumbbell section.
I picked up a single thirty-kilo dumbbell, leaned one arm on the bench and began to biceps curl. I wondered if she thought of me, Seb, the man who sat opposite her on her birthday night, staring at her, willing for her to acknowledge him—remember him. It didn’t take long for her to see me. It was as though everyone around went into silent mode, and we gazed at each other as she listened to my thoughts.
There was the same connection between us. I felt it and I knew she did, too. At least I thought she remembered me.
“Fuck it,” I hissed to myself. I said I was going to make a play for her, and I was.
I had to take the risk.
I wanted her to remember me, and the love we had for each other, but if it didn’t happen, I’d get her to fall in love with me all over again. After hearing Carter and understanding his goals, I had an idea all he was interested in was her magic and not her.
Why did it take me so long to realise?
From now, I was on a mission to win Aurora Lace Summer, get her to remember me. I just hoped after her evening with Jack and Blake tomorrow night, it wasn’t too late. If only Ryan found out more information, I would have met her there and taken her away. I sat on the bench as I chortled to myself, peeking around the gym because that wasn’t really my style, but I was also no longer holding back.
I laughed because that was Carter’s style, turning up and acting like some Neanderthal. Me, I was different; I preferred to charm my way, a little flirting, and make her laugh. A woman always preferred a man to laugh her into bed than drag her there—at least I hoped so.
“Have you been avoiding me?” her soft, unmistakable voice said.
I twisted to see Lacey dressed in her leggings, crop top, and trainers. Obviously, she had the same idea to work out as I did.
“No, but I was just thinking about you,” I said. Straightforward and bold was the way to go.
Her eyebrows shot up as she smirked. “Really? What were you thinking, exactly?”