Page 37 of Air of Seduction
“Good. I’ll go talk to Noah before he can find out what’s happened in your neighborhood from the news. Talk to you later, Payton. I… We’ll talk later.”
“Yes. Thank you, Ronan.” I slowly lower my phone. What was it he had been about to say? Does he miss me the way I miss him?
“Payton?”
Olivia’s voice startles me so much I almost drop my phone for a second time in just a few minutes. She’s standing in the doorway to her bedroom, and I have no idea how long she’s been there.
I give her a smile. “You scared me. How are you feeling?”
“A little less tired.” She cocks her head. “What are you planning?”
Shit.She obviously heard some of my conversation with Ronan, but I don’t know how much. I bite my lip while trying to come up with a good way to tell her what’s happened and what we need to do. But there’s no nice way to say this. “There’s been an incident down the road, and I think we might be safer staying with the people who helped me rescue you.”
She stiffens and goes pale. “What kind of incident?”
I try to keep my body relaxed so I don’t make this any worse than it has to be. “Two people have been found dead with their blood drained, probably to make it look like a vampire didit. But since we don’t know what happened, Ronan suggested we stay with them.”
Her breathing grows faster as she stares at me. “With Noah.” It’s not a question.
I shake my head. “It’s a very large house, and we will have our own suite. You won’t have to see him at all. He knows you’re scared of him.” Hopefully, he’ll listen to Ronan, and this will work out as planned.
When she just keeps standing there, not acknowledging what I said, I get to my feet and move toward her slowly. “It’s just a precaution, and I trust these people.” It’s true, except I don’t trust Noah. But I’m not going to tell her that.
She swallows hard. “You think it was vampires, don’t you? The incident.”
I nod. “It’s possible, and Ronan seems to think so as well.”
She tilts her head to the side, her face regaining some of its color. “You like Ronan.”
My face heats. Is it really that obvious? But then this is my best friend, Olivia, who’s known me for years. “I do. He’s…” I don’t know how to describe him to her. There are so many things I like about him, but he’s from a different world. What are the chances there can be anything between us beyond a few kisses or possibly a short fling?
She nods. “It’s okay. Just be careful that you don’t mistake gratitude for love.”
“Love,” I sputter. “It’s way too early for that. I’m attracted to him, that’s all. He’s good-looking.”
Her eyes seem to lose focus, like her mind has just traveled a thousand miles away. Whatever she’s thinking doesn’t seem to have a negative effect on her, so I stay still and let her have the time she needs.
A full minute goes by before she suddenly jerks like something startled her. Then she shakes her head and gives me a small smile.
Returning her smile, I take a step closer. “Would you like me to help you pack?”
Her smile disappears, but she nods, and I breathe out a silent sigh of relief. I’m going to count this as a small step in the right direction.
Chapter 22
Ronan
Noah is scowling at me. “My mate is going to be right here, but I’m not allowed to see her?”
I shrug like I don’t really care, when all I want is for the man in front of me to agree so I can have Payton in the house where I can keep an eye on her. “It’s either that or she won’t leave her apartment. It’s up to you.”
He throws his hands in the air. “This is fucking insane. I have just found my mate, my true mate, but I can’t even talk to her, because she’s fucking terrified.”
Crossing my arms, I glare at him. “That’s your own fucking fault. If you hadn’t—”
“No.” He points a finger in my face and shakes his head. “It’s that vampire’s fault. If he hadn’t taken her and…and…” He shudders and squeezes his eyes shut.
I reach out and put a hand on his shoulder. I dread to think what she’s been through, and I can’t even imagine how I would feel if the same thing happened to my mate. “It will get better.” It has to, for both Olivia and Noah’s sake. “But right now what she needs is for you to stay out of sight to allow her to heal.”