The Ripple Effect (Rhiannon's Law #3)(22)

He moved away, taking a large step back. I was going to ask him why when I glanced at the door. Disco stood in the entranceway with Marius at his side. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, since his maker undoubtedly had him on his best behavior. Still, I did notice the way his lips thinned and his jaw ticced as he regarded us.

“Marius and I are meeting with the leaders of the other families.” Disco took slow, deliberate steps in my direction. “I wanted to see you before we left.”

This time, Disco was the one invading my personal space, wrapping his arms so tightly around me I held my breath, bringing me toward his chest. One large hand cradled the back of my head, arching my neck so he had access to my lips. His kiss was harsher than Paine’s, more demanding. He didn’t ask for control, he took it, dominating my mouth with swirls and plunges of his tongue. Unable to do anything else, I let him do as he wanted. He lowered his hand and cupped my ass.

This kiss was different—one I ached for, one I dreamed about. Delicious and wild, sending me spiraling out of control. I latched onto his arms, holding him close, breathing him in as he ravaged my lips. The scent of cinnamon and cloves was like coming home, sweet yet earthy, everything I’d missed. The world seemed to settle into place when I was in his arms, coming together as though we’d never been apart. I knew we had an audience, but I didn’t care, riding waves of untainted and pure emotion.

He didn’t lift his head as Paine had, but shifted a fraction of an inch so I could feel his breath on my face. He gazed into my eyes, the heat from one simple look powerful enough to make my knees weak.

“I’ll be back soon,” he said softly and leaned in, nipping my bottom lip playfully, making me shudder.


When he let me go, I stayed in exactly the same place, arms loose at my sides.

It wasn’t the words spoken aloud that had me gasping for air, or the kiss that had scattered my thoughts. It was the words he’d spoken in my mind that echoed over and over in my head, a warning if ever I’d heard one.

“You belong to me, Rhiannon. You belong to me.”





Chapter Five


I woke the next morning in Disco’s brand new bed, nestled in the down comforter that cradled my shoulders and arms. The plush material wrapped around me, soft and luxurious. I’d been stunned about him destroying the furniture I’d once known, but the unfamiliar and wonderfully lavish things settled my nerves. Yes, the space was shrouded in bad memories. However, the bed wasn’t the one I remembered. It was created for lovers, feminine with artsy details, masculine in size and shape.

Had he purchased the bed for a fresh start? His phone messages indicated he wanted to right his wrongs. Was this one of the many ways he thought he could reach me?

Pushing aside the questions, I peered around the room and sighed in relief.

I was alone.

Thank God.

Paine had been in the room—seated at Disco’s desk reading my tattered copy of Jane Eyre—when I drifted off. Certainly we should have used the opportunity to discuss what was going on, but the kiss we’d shared made me uncomfortable. It was the first time Paine had ever put a move on me. I had wanted to speak with Goose about what happened, but then I’d learned he’d departed with Disco and Marius. Feigning exhaustion was my only defense, my only way to get around talking to Paine. It was safer to blame fatigue and crawl into bed than discuss the kiss we had shared and precisely what it meant.

Although it wasn’t easy to fall asleep with him watching me, I’d managed, resorting to counting sheep when closing my eyes didn’t do the trick. Unfortunately I didn’t drift off immediately, because I knew at some point Paine and I had to talk.

Despite our friendship, there was strain between us, something that wouldn’t go away until we confronted the truth. I loved Disco. No matter what he’d done to me, I was partially at fault. The conversations I’d had with Paine about my relationship—or lack thereof—with his friend only skimmed the surface. If I wanted to be totally honest, I had to set boundaries and draw clear lines in the sand. When the issue with Marius was over, all of us—me, Disco, and Paine—had to accept things for what they were.

Fortunately, Paine was gone now, and we could save the discussion for later. I quickly slipped from the bed and got dressed. The horrors of my past continued to haunt my dreams, but they weren’t bad enough to rouse me and leave me shivering in a cold sweat. For that, I was grateful. I didn’t want Disco to know how hard our separation had been on me, even when it came to something as simple as sleep.

As much as I wanted a shower, I tossed on fresh clothing without having one. It was early, almost dawn if my inner clock was right, and I had plenty of time to swing by my apartment for a thorough cleansing later. There was too much to do, too much to decide. Marius was back in town and the clock was ticking. The faster I got away from the vampire who wanted me dead, the better.

To my dismay, I didn’t make it out the door in time. Disco walked in just as I retrieved my gym bag. He was dressed to impress in his dark trench coat, a dress shirt, and expensive slacks. The strain of the evening showed on his face, however. A crease marred his forehead, and his beautiful, ocean blue eyes were darker than usual.

I didn’t think it was possible to for him to look bad, but when he saw me more lines appeared, creasing the area around his mouth and eyes. “You’re leaving?”