I didn’t know how I was supposed to feel about what I’d seen tonight. Didn’t know if I was capable of feeling, since I only felt numb.
At the moment, I hated Forge, but he was right. I had to get cleaned up.
There was something oddly sensual about showering in Forge’s shower, and I sat back in the chair to get dressed, since sitting on Forge’s enormous bed seemed way too intimate. I wanted to put as much distance between me and him right now, if for no other reason than to sort everything out for myself. Death and vampires and a secret society that I, apparently, was a member of.
Inspecting myself in the foggy mirror, I concluded that at least I wasn’t all bloody, and that was about as optimistic as I dared to be. My clothes were clean, but wrinkled, my hair was dripping wet, and yes, there would definitely be a bruise on my cheek tomorrow. This was not how I’d expected this trip to end.
I’d had grand plans for Scotland, just like I did with everything in life, and ending up further embroiled in Forge’s life hadn’t been part of it. I’d done this to save the company, and in that, at least, I’d accomplished my goal. Extricating myself from what was looking more and more like a trap would be harder.
A gentle rap on the door, and I paused as Forge asked, “Do you need anything, Selena?”
“No. I’m good.” I was pissed I had to answer at all. I’d intended the flight back to Philly to be silent. At least on my part. I threw tonight’s ruined clothing into the trash and zipped my bag closed. Sitting out there with Forge for six hours was a daunting proposal, but I could certainly keep my mouth shut until we landed in Philadelphia. Then I’d never have to see him again.
I pressed my ear to the door and didn’t hear anything, so I eased it open and found Forge on his cell with his back to me. I chose a seat by the window, as far from him as I could get, and plugged in my music then jammed the earphones into my ears. Instantly, the even hum of the plane was eclipsed by reggae.
Forge made no move to engage me, instead making a series of calls that seemed to last forever. Watching Forge out of the corner of my eye proved difficult at best, and at some point, my head bobbing to Peter Tosh, I fell asleep.
The next thing I knew, I was lifted up and carried, my face pressed into Forge’s chest. For a second, I breathed in his cologne before I remembered to be mad at him.
“Put me down,” I demanded, although there was little heat in the order. My mind was foggy, full of competing images—Forge tearing a heart out of a chest, Forge holding me like I was the most precious thing in the world—that I was trying to sort out, while my heart engaged in a similar tug of war.
“In a moment, Selena,” he said, his face turned toward something ahead of us. I twisted just in time for him to set me into the back of a long, dark limo. I pressed my bag into my side, getting my bearings as Forge slid in beside me.
“Take me home,” I told him, not wanting to spend another second with him. “Four-seventy-three Brookline Road.”
Forge rapped on the window. “Take us home. No stops.” The car sped up slightly and made a turn, heading away from the city.
“We’re going the wrong way. I want to go home, Forge,” I insisted, folding my hands in my lap. Mostly so I wouldn’t slap him in the face. “My home, in case I wasn’t clear.”
“You will. Once you and I have hashed this out between us.”
“Hash what out, exactly? I kept my word, and you bailed out the company. You lied to me about pretty much everything in the process, but who am I to judge? Maybe that’s how you do things in your world.” My emotions were swinging wildly all over the place, from hurt to betrayal to general anger. “As far as I’m concerned, things between us are over.”
“They’re hardly over.” A grim smile twisted his mouth, one that I couldn’t quite decipher, and my heart sank, as it looked like he meant to have his way. “Aren’t you even a little bit curious about what happened tonight? I’d like a chance to explain, but only if you’re willing to give it to me.”
Just like the bastard to back me into a corner, betting on my sense of fair play.
“One hour,” I said. “One hour and then we part ways.”
I was still staring out the window as he answered, “Whatever you want, Selena.”
20
When we arrived at Forge’s newly transformed mansion, I felt a bite of fear as the car rolled up to the front doors. Several things had occurred to me during our ride here, and call it paranoia or an overactive imagination, but none of them were good. I could be a loose end as far as Forge was concerned, especially now that I’d seen the unbridled violence he was capable of.
What if you’re nothing but a complication? It sounded ridiculous, even to my overly suspicious self, but after tonight, I wasn’t discounting anything, no matter how wild.
I also knew I’d never be rid of Forge until he had his say. Not that I cared what he said, since obviously his track record spoke for itself.
“Come, Selena.” He offered me his hand—now pristinely clean and manicured—and I ignored it, getting out on my own and stepping past him. No matter what he said, or how he said it, I was walking back through these
