Chapter Twenty-Four #3
“And,” he added. “I don’t want to rush you, either.” His gaze flicked to mine for one second, then back to the road. “Because I respect you and I—”
He cut himself off, pressing his lips together. Like he was about to say something he was afraid to admit out loud.
“You…?”
“I’m glad you’re back,” he said. “That’s all.”
But I had the sneaking suspicion he wasn’t telling me everything. So, I changed the subject in a hurry.
“I’m not saying no,” I said. “Just… not tonight. If I leave Red and Tani alone together too long, I’m afraid I’ll come home to the house covered in pink fairy dust and the possibility that Red has learned how to shop on the Internet.”
He laughed at that. “That is a real possibility.”
He pulled into his driveway and put the truck in park, still holding my hand. Quiet. Patient. The epitome of the perfect man sitting beside me and I had commitment issues.
But he was still looking at me like I was the best thing that ever happened to him and that did something funny to my insides.
“We’ll try again tomorrow,” he said. “After you come to dinner at my parents.”
“Oh,” I said on a breath. “Yes. Tomorrow.”
“You’re still coming, right?” He sounded worried.
I met his gaze. “Of course.”
Relief creased his features. “Good. I’ll pick you up at noon.”
I reached for the door and exited the truck. He was out, too, rounding the hood and stopped in front of me. He reached for my hand.
“Sure you won’t change your mind about dinner?”
I grinned. “You’ll see me tomorrow, McAllister.”
He made a low, appreciative sound in his throat, then pulled me closer. “You keep calling me that and you won’t be able to leave.”
Before I could reply, he kissed me. Long, slow, thoughtful. Deep. Determined to keep me in his orbit for as long as possible.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said.
He released me.
And as I got into the car to drive away, back to the house on Snapdragon, my heart ached with regret.
It was late afternoon by the time I returned home.
A strange car was in my driveway and Agent Voss was standing on my front porch looking furious with his hands on his hips. Like he was angry I wasn’t home. I frowned. He was not a welcome visitor. And I didn’t have the energy to deal with him.
I steeled my nerves as I got out the car holding the grimoire cradled in one arm.
“Where’s your guard dog?” he asked.
Not the best way to start a conversation with me. “If you mean Owen,” I snapped, “he’s home.”
His gaze flicked over me, pausing on the book.
“What do you want, Voss?” I climbed the porch steps, my steps weary, clutching my keys in my fist. I didn’t want to open the door and invite him in. He wasn’t welcome.
“The Crossroads is still open.”
“It’s currently contained and will be closed soon enough,” I said, thinking of the Sun Disk.
His gaze flatlined as he stared at me. “It doesn’t appear you’re taking this job as Guardian seriously, Miss Wakefield.”
“I am.”
“You’re too busy trying to get a date rather than do your job. The flower shop was closed today.”
I glared at him. “I know,” I snapped. “I had to. I was trying to get—”
I bit off my retort because he didn’t know about the grimoire and I didn’t want him to.
He didn’t even notice.
“That’s unacceptable. The Council—”
“You and the Council can mind your own business. I have everything under control.”
I was tired of this pushy guy.
“The Council,” he continued as if I hadn’t spoken, “has made a motion to remove you as Guardian and replace you with someone who can handle the Crossroads.”
I stiffened, staring at him. “That is unacceptable. Alice—”
“I explained to them Alice was dead and you’ve failed.”
“How dare you—”
“However,” he continued, talking over me. “I told them you were trying your best given that you had no knowledge of the Crossroads prior to Alice’s death.”
“Gee, thanks.” I wasn’t sure that was a win.
“And,” he said, “they’ve agreed to give you seventy-two hours to return the Red Queen and the fairy queen back to their rightful realms as well as close the Crossroads.”
“Seventy-two hours,” I said, my voice flat. “You think I can do all that in three days?”
“You have no choice,” he said. “I told them I’d monitor the situation and will report back. If you fail again, Miss Wakefield, you will be removed.”
And he sounded delighted by that fact. Like he was expecting failure.
I lifted my chin. “Do what you must, but I’ll see that the Crossroads are closed for good before your deadline.”
He gave me one curt nod. “See that you do.”
And then he was stepping down off the porch and heading to his car. I stood there in the late afternoon heat, sweat rolling down my back, watching him pull away and disappear down the country road.
“Jerk face,” I muttered.
Seventy-two hours. I had seventy-two hours to close the Crossroads and push two queens back to their respective realms. One I wasn’t so sure would go.
I stood there for the longest time with the grimoire clutched in my arm breathing through the urge to panic. I could do this. I had to do this because now I had no choice.
The problem was, I had no idea where to start—and the clock didn’t care.