Midnight Moonrising (Moonrising #2)(126)

Panicking, I pushed him off me and quickly crawled to the foot of the bed, out of his reach.

"Andra," he said, and reached for me, but I jumped over the footboard onto the floor, shaking my head as I backed toward the door. "Andra, where are you going?" I felt for the door handle and opened the door. "No!" he shouted. "Look, I'm sorry—don't go to him, please." I could barely see him through my tears, but I knew he punched the mattress with his fist then got out of bed to try and stop me when I turned to run. "Andra! Stop!"


I didn't stop. I didn't even look back as I sprinted down the hall, rounded the kitchen wall and pulled open the door to the basement. Not bothering to pull it shut, I bounded down the stairs and up the corridor to Phoenix's chamber.

He was sitting in a chair when I flew through the door and his head jerked up in alarm. I didn't stop. I was running from Ace, running from the bond, running from my feelings and running for Phoenix.

He only had time to take three steps and brace for my impact before my body slammed into him and our mouths met with a ferocious hunger.

Without breaking contact with my lips, Phoenix picked me up so I was straddling his hips and walked to the bed, bolting the door locked on the way.

The walls in my head crumbled to the ground, like a wrecking ball had smashed into it.

"Andra, nooooo!"

"I'll find a way to cope without you, but I won't leave him, Ace. I'm sorry."

There was a loud bang on the door, and then it sounded like something was sliding down it. I could feel Ace's grief washing through me, but I ground my teeth together and forced him out of my mind, throwing up extra sturdy walls as Phoenix laid me on his bed.





Chapter 62



Mena





I could feel Ace's anger the moment I woke up, but I could tell he wasn't angry with me, and Phoenix wasn't in the room.

Either Ace was out of mind-reading range, or he was blocking me from knowing what he was saying to Phoenix.

Jumping out of bed, I quickly searched for where Phoenix may have thrown my clothes the night before, and I found them folded neatly on the back of the couch. I needed Phoenix. I needed Ace. Growling in frustration, I realized I didn't know what the hell I needed, but it wasn't in this room right now.

My foot got caught on the crotch of the cotton pajamas and I nearly fell on my face, but thankfully managed to get a hand and knee out to break my fall. I yanked them up the rest of the way and threw my shirt on as I ran for the door.

As soon as I jerked it open, I was face to face with Phoenix and Ace, standing in the hall outside Phoenix's chamber. Both men immediately stopped talking and stared at me, sadness in Phoenix's eyes and anger in Ace's. Seeing Ace, being this near him, felt good. But I tamped that down. I wanted Phoenix.

"Remember what I said," Ace growled, and then walked away without looking at me again.

It physically hurt me to watch him go. Even though I had spent the night with Phoenix, I still felt like I was drowning without Ace's touch.

"What was he talking about?" I said. "Why did he say that you should remember something?"

He gestured with his hand for me to go back into his room. After I did, and he followed, he shut the door behind us.

"It's nothing, Mena—"

"Don't tell me it's nothing. I saw the two of you, and I can see the sadness in your eyes. That is definitely something. What did he say to you?"

"He was only trying to convince me that he is the better man for you."

"You don't believe that, do you?"

As he tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear, he chuckled, but it sounded forced to me. "Of course not, Lupacchiotto. Why do you think he was so angry?"

I hugged him as I sighed in relief. "Good."

He kissed the top of my head. "You're shaking," he said.

I supposed it was the first time I noticed it, but as soon as he mentioned it, my teeth began to chatter. "I'm… fi-i-i-ine."

He pushed me to arm's length, but I couldn't see much of him for some reason. He was… fuzzy.

"Shit! You're not fine! You're white as a ghost and about to go into some sort of shock. You need Ace."

"Nooo… I want you."

"Mena, be reasonable. The bond is nothing to play with." He picked me up and laid me back on his bed, then pulled the cell phone from his pocket.

"Phoenix, no. It has to be something else. Maybe I'm coming down with a bug or something." That's what I meant to say, but since he put the phone to his ear and walked away from me, I was taking a wild guess that my words hadn't come out as I intended.

This couldn't have been brought on because I needed Ace's touch. I had only been away from him for less than eight hours.

"Damn it!" Phoenix shouted, and then I heard a crash.

"What is it?" I whispered weakly.

He huffed, and it was another few seconds before he spoke. "Ace collapsed in the kitchen. A few of his pride are bringing him back down here to you."

I didn't want to hear that. There was no way this would work if we couldn't spend more than eight hours apart. His pride was in Nevada; my pack was here. Phoenix was here. What would happen if he left me here to go back to Las Vegas as he'd planned? I knew I felt like shit now, and the wretched feeling seemed to be getting worse. I didn't want to imagine how even fifteen more minutes would make me feel.