Chapter 191

I snuggled against Andrew as we watched a movie in the mansion’s home theater. It was a film adaptation of the book that I had been reading when Chevalier attacked Jeffrey and me at Andrew’s other home. It wasn’t nearly as good as the book—no movie version ever is—but they had kept all the steamy scenes in, and that seemed to be enough to keep both my and Andrew’s attention.

We had just gotten to the part where the demon Beelzebub had put a price on Sapphire’s head in order to get under Raphael’s skin. Raphael had assigned a team of gargoyles to protect Sapphire, but the demons always seemed to know exactly what Raphael had planned. So, Raphael decided to hide Sapphire in the one place that no demon—or human—could ever go: The Garden of Eden.

“But it’s forbidden,” Sapphire said, clutching at Raphael’s forearm. “You could lose your Grace for this.”

“I would stand up to the Almighty Himself if it meant keeping you safe,” Raphael replied.

“It just might if you continue down this path. Do you really want to defy your Father, just for me?”

Raphael wrapped his arms around Sapphire and pulled her close to him. He grabbed her chin and forced her to look him in the eyes.

“I would sacrifice Heaven and Hell for you,” he said. “I love you, Sapphire. Never forget that.”

He leaned down and kissed her tenderly.

Andrew’s arm tightened around my shoulders. I nuzzled my head against the crook of his neck. I knew that this movie must have struck a nerve with him, considering how closely it paralleled our own lives at times.

I grabbed his hand and brought it to my lips, kissing the knuckles—a small gesture of my gratitude for him sitting through this movie with me. He looked down at me and smiled. We strained our necks and leaned in for a proper kiss when his phone began to buzz.

With a soft sigh, Andrew paused the movie and answered his phone.

“Yes?”

He listened intently to whoever was on the other end of the line.

“Yes, of course. I understand. We will certainly cooperate with the police investigation.”

I paled. A police investigation? What could have happened this time?

Andrew didn’t appear too concerned, so it couldn’t be too bad. I hoped.

“Thank you for letting me know. Please keep me updated.”

Andrew hung up the phone and turned to face me. His expression did not betray any of his emotions, but I still prepared myself for the worst.

“Well?” I asked. “Who was that? What happened?”

“It was Michael,” Andrew replied, his voice neutral. “Edoardo Bianchi died.”

My eyes widened, and my heart fluttered. Could it be true? Could that part of my nightmare be over?

“But…how?”

“Someone poisoned him in his house.”

Chills ran down my spine. Although this man had put a hit out on me, it still disturbed me a bit that even he could be killed in his own home.

“So, that’s it? I won’t be bothered by his men anymore?”

“Not unless his successor decides to go after you, but since it was such a personal vendetta, I doubt that will happen.”

“I’m free?”

Andrew nodded, a broad grin stretching across his face.

“You’re free.”

It felt as though an invisible hand had released its hold on my chest. I could finally breathe uninhibited. Tears of joy trickled down my cheeks.

Relief flooding every inch of my body, I climbed into Andrew’s lap. I grabbed his face in both of my hands and pressed my lips against his. My tongue prodded at him, and he allowed me entry.

Our tongues settled into a dance, stroking each other sensually. Andrew’s hands settled on my hips and pulled me in closer. My arms snaked behind his neck, and my breasts pressed up against his torso.

I moved to kiss Andrew on the neck, but he placed his hand on my throat and gently pushed me back. Panting, I stared into Andrew’s eyes, silently asking him what he wanted. What I saw in return was something that I had never seen before…guilt.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“There’s something that I need to tell you about this Bianchi thing.”

I slid back into my seat.

“Okay, tell me.”

Andrew took a deep breath.

“Last week, I met with Mr. Barone—”

“The crime boss?”

Andrew nodded.

“I met with Mr. Barone, and we had a little discussion.” He hesitated. “One thing led to another, and I got Mr. Barone to agree to take care of our Bianchi problem for us.”

My eyes widened.

“You mean…you…put out a hit on Bianchi through Mr. Barone?”

Andrew nodded.

“I did what I had to in order to protect you.”

There was no way that Mr. Barone did this for free, even if Bianchi had been his rival.

“What did it cost you?” I asked.

Andrew did not look me in the eyes for a moment.

“Andrew, what…did…it…cost you?” I repeated, my voice raising with each word.

His eyes returned to mine, and it obviously pained him to say what came next.

“I had to promise legal immunity for him and his immediate family.”

I dragged my nails along the leather arm of the recliner that I sat in, leaving white lines behind. I forced my breathing to remain deep and even, but that was not enough to keep my temper under control.

Without saying another word, I leapt out of my seat and stormed out of the home theater.

“Crystal, where are you going?” he asked as he trailed me.

“Anywhere but here.”

“You can’t really be mad at me—”

“Yes, I can.”

“I did this to protect you!”

I turned on my heel to face him.

“That’s what you always say. Everything you do is always to protect me! You shouldn’t have to make these big sacrifices such to keep me safe.”

Andrew looked momentarily confused. Then he took a step towards me, his face a mixture of compassionate and apologetic.

“Crystal, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what you want me to do. You need to understand, I have to keep the people who I love safe—”

“No, just…don’t.”

I ran down the winding hallways and out the mansion, barely acknowledging Parker as I left for my car. I threw myself into the driver’s seat and gripped the steering wheel tightly, trying to not fall apart entirely.

I couldn’t tell Andrew the real reason why I was mad. I couldn’t tell him that I was actually mad at myself for not being able to protect myself from these threats, that I was mad at myself for putting him in these positions in the first place. I couldn’t appear that weak in front of him, again.

I pounded my fist on the steering wheel. If only I could find a way to protect myself from all these threats, then I wouldn’t need Andrew’s interference. I could transform into a powerful wolf, and yet this couldn’t protect me from assassins and bullets.

What was the point of being a werewolf—or half-werewolf?

With one last look back at the mansion, I turned on the Civic and pulled out of the drive. In my rearview mirror, I saw a forlorn Andrew standing in one of the windows, watching me drive away.