Reed pushes me against a large workbench. Our lips remain together as he lifts me up on the edge of it while I strip away my jacket. The intensity of desire his hands elicit when he touches my skin is agony and ecstasy. I shudder with need for him, as his kisses tease me with paradise. He peels my shirt from me. I lift his over his head.
My feathers dust the workbench when they unleash from my back. He groans as his hand cups my jaw. He covers my parted lips with his. Trailing kisses down my neck, he pauses when his lips come to my heart. It no longer has his mark on it. He rubs his thumb over the place where it had been. “I grieve that I no longer carry your wings on me,” Reed says. His eyes reflect hollowness. “But not seeing mine on you is agony to me.” My heart responds to his words, bludgeoning the walls of my chest trying to get to him. “You’re mine, no matter if you have my symbol on your skin or not,” he growls, possessively. The primitive way in which my body quivers is telling. There is no need for words between us now. He shows me how fiercely he missed me with every feverish touch of his body against mine.
Reed brings my shirt to me. Reaching out to take it, I pause when his other hand touches my necklace. Reed’s warm fingers lift it from my skin. Dangling like charms from it are his ring, the boatswain, and Xavier’s ring.
“You have my ring.”
I unlock the clasp and take his ring from the chain. “I kept it safe for you, hoping that one day I could give it back to you.” He slips it on his finger while I close the clasp of my necklace. I retract my wings before slipping my shirt down over the key to Sheol to hide it from sight.
“You have Xavier’s ring as well,” Reed says. “Do you hope to one day give it back to him?”
The tension in his voice makes me look at him. “I don’t know,” I say breathlessly. “I only know that I couldn’t leave it in Sheol.”
Reed twists his ring as if he’s lost in thought. “Do you want to come over to my house? I want to show you something.”
“You have a house?”
“It’s not actually mine. It’s more of a headquarters at the moment.”
“Where?”
“I’ll show you.”
“Oh, so it’s a surprise?” I ask.
“It is.”
His talk of home makes me remember my home and the fact that I was supposed to be there over an hour ago! “I have to go, Reed!” I say with my eyes growing wide. “They’ll be worried about me. I’m usually never late. Oh no! Declan! I forgot about Declan!” I try to pull my jacket on, but the sleeves are inside out. I shake my arm until I can get it into the sleeve. Rushing over to Reed, I go up on tiptoes and kiss him quickly on the lips. “Do you know where I live?”
“Of course,” he answers, beginning to frown.
“Pick me up there in an hour.” I hurry to the door.
“Evie, wait!”
I press my back against the door, opening it. “I have to tell them that I’m okay. They’re very protective of me.”
“I’ll take you there.” Reed follows me.
“I have to talk to him alone, Reed.” I reply. “He won’t understand.”
“Brennus?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll make him understand.” The threat in his tone is implicit.
“That’s exactly what I don’t want.”
I enter the alley. Declan is leaning against the brick wall, holding my bag in one hand and my battle hammer in the other. He straightens; he’s been waiting for me. I cringe, knowing what he must have heard. He gives me my things with a stoic look. “I tink ye dropped dese.”
“Thank you,” I mutter, accepting my bag from him. I place my battle hammer in it and close it.
Declan glances at Reed. “Aingeal, I did na know ye were back.”
“That seems to be a theme here,” Reed replies with irritation.
Declan’s attention shifts to me. “I guarantee Brennus did na know either, Genevieve.”
“I’m going to find out exactly who knew what and when.” I move down the alley. Declan matches my stride. “I’ll see you later, Reed.”
“One hour, Evie,” Reed replies.
I stop and look over my shoulder at him. “I’ll be waiting.”
Declan leads me to his car. We get in and he wheels it around and drives in the direction of our home. “I’m sorry if I scared you, Declan. I never made it to the shop.”
“I found Bruno in da dumpster. I take it he’s a ‘no’ for redemption.” He raises his eyebrow.
“Reed’s my guardian angel,” I blurt out.
Declan looks straight ahead at the road. “Dat’s a little awkward.”
“Atwater knew.”
“Atwater always knows. He’s older dan dirt—older dan da sky by two.”
“I’m sorry that I messed up your date.”
He smiles like it’s the least of his worries. “I’m beginning ta tink dat me lucky shirt is na so lucky,” he says and despite everything, I laugh. “I can reschedule it. Maybe ’tis insane of me ta want ta go on a date a tall.”
“No, it’s not insane. It’s necessary. What’s the point of having a life if you don’t live.”