“But how can I promise that when it depends on her choices and behavior? I can’t mesmerize her, or I’d have done it already.
Mother Nature smirked. “I’m sure you’ll think of something.”
Claudia opened her apartment door and walked straight into a solid wall…named Anthony Cross.
“Going somewhere?” he asked.
“Please, Anthony, let me go. I won’t divulge your precious secret.”
“I didn’t say you would.”
They stood toe to toe, staring at each other. Finally, Claudia said, “I was going to call you from the road. I really can’t work today. I need a day to get my head on straight.”
“I was here to tell you the same thing. Don’t worry about the tea shop. Sadie and Morgaine said they’d help Chris and Angie handle it.”
“Who’s Morgaine?”
“A friend of Nick’s. You may have met her husband a while ago. His name is Sly Flores.”
Claudia didn’t recall either name, but who these people were wasn’t important right now. “I need to go, Anthony.”
“We need to talk.”
Claudia sighed. “What about?”
“About us.”
From the severe expression on his face, she wondered if he’d decided this whole relationship was more trouble than it was worth. Having that on her mind for the next two days wouldn’t help matters. Maybe it was best to talk to Anthony first and then catch the commuter train to Gaye’s sister’s house out in the suburbs.
“May I come in?” he asked.
Claudia stepped aside and Anthony entered. He didn’t go much beyond the threshold, as if he might need to snatch her arm if she tried to run off. He took the overnight bag from her hand and placed it beside the sofa.
“If you still want to leave after we talk, I won’t stop you.”
She nodded and closed the door.
He wrapped her in a tight embrace. “I’m so relieved to know you’re all right.” When she didn’t respond, he took a step back and studied her. “You are all right, aren’t you?”
“Basically. No harm was done physically, but I don’t know how much more I can take psychologically.”
“I understand.” He took her hand and led her to the sofa. “Sit. Let me get you a cup of tea or coffee.”
“Don’t. I should just hear you out and get going before I fall asleep on my feet.”
Anthony sat and pulled her down onto his lap. “Claudia, I don’t know what I would have done if anything happened to you. I was half out of my mind while you were gone.”
He stroked her hair, which was now nearly dry, but she probably looked like she’d been in a windstorm. It didn’t seem to matter to him. He gazed at her with love in his chocolate eyes. Part of her resolve melted.
She really did love him, and yet things had to change. She couldn’t keep looking over her shoulder and wondering what Ruxandra was going to do next.
As if he’d heard her, he said, “I’ll make sure Ruxandra never bothers you again.”
“How? She seems really determined to get me out of the picture.” Suddenly a horrible thought struck her. He wouldn’t, would he? “Are you going to k-kill her?”
Anthony fell eerily silent. Finally, he said, “I’m responsible for this. All of this. I’ll take care of it. I promise.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“Because I don’t know the answer.”
His jaw was set and his expression hardened.
“I can’t condone that. I certainly don’t want you to go to prison, and I’m against murder in any case…”
Anthony snorted. “My kind don’t go to prison.”
“But you do murder.”
He hung his head. “I won’t pretend it doesn’t happen. However, in order to live among humans, we try to be very careful. There are cameras everywhere now.”
“So, are you saying it’s an option as long as humans don’t find out about it?”
He cupped her cheek. “I’m not saying anything right now. You’re not the only one who needs to think. I just want us to face this together…as we’ve always done.”
As much as she appreciated being included in determining a more permanent solution to the Ruxandra problem, it implied a conspiracy. Having a hand in another’s demise—no matter how minor—would in all likelihood affect her sobriety.
She had to make Anthony understand. “I can’t do this.”
He grasped her hands and held them tight. “Please don’t give up on us. I’ll fix this. Just promise you won’t do anything rash.”
She sighed. It looked as if she didn’t have to add “mend a broken heart” to her to-do list, unless it was the only way to save her own life. “I’ll give it one more night. If she’s not…restrained in some lasting way, I’ll have to leave. How stupid would I feel if I just hung around and let her kill me next time?”
“Not as stupid as I’d feel devastated.” He flipped her onto her back and kissed her hard. Her head spun. She wanted to open herself and beg him to fill her.
When he lifted his head, he whispered, “I love you. So much. I won’t risk losing you again. I don’t care what I have to do.”
Claudia wished he’d stop insinuating that murder was still on the table. But what other permanent solution could there be?
She held his face in her hands. “I love you too, but the idea of being an accessory to murder isn’t sitting well. I mean, I blamed myself for my sister’s death, and I had no advance warning whatsoever. I feel like I have to protest, but even so, it’s hard to do.” She mimicked how she felt by speaking deadpan. “Oh, stop. Please don’t.”
A hint of a smile crossed his face. “I’m not talking about murder—yet, but don’t worry. I’ll think of something. I just want to be with you now. I want to hold you and make love to you.”
There was something he wasn’t telling her. It sounded as if he’d come to some kind of decision even though he hadn’t said anything. She was too tired to let this debate go round and round in her head, so when Anthony said he wanted to make love again, she pushed all other thoughts away and let him carry her to her bedroom.
Chapter 16
Anthony had hoped she’d let him in the front door. He never imagined she’d forgive him so soon and let him into her bedroom. There was more to talk about, but he was grateful for the chance to cement their emotional bond. Words could wait until later.
He gently laid her in the middle of the bed and removed her shoes. She had changed into jeans and sneakers, but he pulled them off like loafers and tossed them aside.
“Hurry,” she whispered.
Oh, what the hell. She knows what I can do. He moved so fast that they were naked and lying beside each other in less than three seconds.
She giggled. “I didn’t mean that fast, but it’s good to know I don’t have to wait when I’m horny.”
He grinned. “I’ll never make you wait for anything if I can help it. I want to give you the world, Claudia.”
“I don’t want the world.” She draped her arms around his neck. “Just you.”
He dove for her lips and kissed her for all he was worth. Their tongues met and tangled. Before long, she was breathing heavily and stroking his backside. He had never felt so hard, but he needed to ready her first.
He broke the kiss and crawled down until he was eye level with her breasts. “You’re beautiful, Claudia.”
He suckled one breast and massaged the other. Increasing the pressure with his mouth, he pinched her other nipple and rubbed it with his thumb.
She moaned and murmured, “…so good.”
When he switched to the other breast, giving it the same attention, she arched and moaned louder. His hand traveled downward and rubbed her mons. As soon as he’d finished with the other breast, he scooted down farther.