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.