Chapter 82

I fumbled through my backpack for a pen and paper before offering it to him. As he wrote, I noticed the Moon Shadow crest on his watch. My heart sped up. He was an operative. Was he also the mole? Maybe he wasn’t. I’d need to try and contact him as Pandora just to see who he was. Now that I had a direct connection to the Moon Shadow leaders, I might be able to get his operative record.

“Tell him to hang in there, yeah?” He asked. “Sometimes… the Moon Goddess has plans for all of us and we can’t always see the full path.”

I nodded. His words seemed oddly devout. I thought of the red cloth that was found at the scene of the attack. As I left, I checked my phone and saw another message from Candido.

Will you come to lunch with me? I want to see you.

I winced at the request, looking down at the paper before reconsidering it. I would need to eat before I headed there. If I did eat with Candido it would be free, and I’d be able to shake my escort team a little easier. Besides, if I didn’t start seeing him little by little, I’d never know for sure if I could get over him and come back to the Estate.

I wanted to go back home as soon as possible.

I’m heading home now. In an hour?

I got into the jeep and worried my lip, wondering how I was going to get from the capital to New Moon territory. When I arrived back at my condo, everything inside had changed. The sleek lines that had been there before had been replaced with pops of color that I loved. The sun hit pieces of glass sculptures and spread rainbow lights around the living room.

I smiled as I found the note on the table.

Forgive the lateness. I had planned this as a surprise for years from now, but now that you are here, I figured that it should be yours in every way that mattered. Enjoy our rainbow paradise, princess.

Candido

I swallowed, looking around. My eyes burned as I drifted into the bedroom and saw all the decorations from my bedroom at the Estate arranged just as they had been down to the bowl of glass beads in the window.

I had told Candido once, years ago, that I wanted to be surrounded by rainbows one day because they always made me smile. The Wolf Fang Pack’s territory got very little rain throughout the year so it was rare that I saw a rainbow.

I sat on the edge of the bed and looked around.

It made me smile, but I also wanted to cry. I don’t think I ever realized that moving out would be longer and harder than I ever imagined. I think I thought that it would be enough to leave. Candido would come to his senses, and it would all be okay after that, but seeing everything here, made me realize that Candido had been true to his words from the first day he took me on as his ward.

I sniffled and dabbed my eyes. He had always planned to see me grow up and life my life. He never intended to keep me at his side forever the way I wanted.

Maybe that was a good thing, but right now it just hurt.

On my bedside table was another book trimmed in gold. The cover had the image of two wolves under the full moon. I picked it up and wrinkled my nose.

It wasn’t like Candido to give me a religious book, but I knew why he gave me the temple’s book on mating bonds. He was being sweet and attentive while still trying to nudge me away.

I hated it as much as I appreciated it.

I set my jaw and stood and went to my closet. It was full of all my old clothes. I didn’t know where we were going for lunch but I picked something sexy, a tight knit dress that I could wear with heels. I got into the shower, did my hair and didn’t bother with a bra. I wanted him to be tempted.

I wanted him to regret the book and everything else. I know I was supposed to be getting over him, but I wasn’t and I didn’t feel bad about making him feel bad.

When the knock sounded on my door, I opened it hoping I looked as tempting as I wanted.

His gaze drifted over me, there was a flicker of light in his eyes, but he said nothing. He was wearing another three-piece suit as if he was taking a break from being at the office.

“You look… lovely. Are you ready?”

“Almost,” I said, a little upset that he didn’t seem very affected. I turned and grabbed my purse and coat.

When I turned back, his eyes jumped back to my face. I felt my face heat and I wondered what he’d been looking at before. He helped me into my jacket and ushered me out of the condo and down to the jeep. For a moment, I felt someone’s eyes on me, but I didn’t know where it was coming from.

He ushered me into the jeep, and we drove to the restaurant. They seated us on the balcony. The waiter poured us wine and I looked out over the city. The patio was heated, so I didn’t need my coat. I hoped having so much skin on display was tempting to him.

I could feel his gaze on me, trailing over every inch of exposed skin as we waited for the appetizers.

“I’m glad you agreed,” Candido said. “I’ve missed you.”

I swallowed back the retort that he didn’t miss me enough to give up this ridiculous need to push me away, but I picked up the water glass.

“How are classes?”

I lifted my shoulder. “Fine enough. How is work?”

His lips twitched. “Fine enough… nothing interesting happened today?”

“… I spoke with Francium’s roommate,” I said easily.

Candido lifted an eyebrow at me. “And?”

“He said that Francium went to see his mother.”

Candido’s gaze dropped. “His father seemed under the impression that he didn’t know where his mother was.”

I shrugged. “I can only guess that Francium isn’t speaking with his father about everything.”

Candido nodded before he eyed me. “And you?”

“Me?”

“Are you talking to me about everything?”

No. And I never could. Even my endless chatter had been meaningless in the scheme of things.

“Don’t all adults have secrets?” I asked. “Are you talking to me about everything?”

His face flushed. “I’m your guardian. It’s hardly the same thing.”

“It is,” I said.

He huffed. “You used to…”

“How would you know?” I asked staring at him. His brow furrowed. “You might have me followed around, but I still have secrets.”

His lips twitched. “Are you playing a game with me right now?”

“Am I?” I almost wanted to smile at how frustrated he seemed when I asked.

We finished lunch almost peacefully. There was some tension when we got back in the car. Then he drove me back to the condo. He grabbed my hand before I reached for the door.

“… why are you in such a hurry to get away from me?” Candido asked quietly. “Weren’t you happy with me?”

“…when I thought it would be more, I was.” I said. “When I hoped and wished you’d take me into your arms or throw me on the bed and have your way with me, I was.”

He turned his flashing eyes on me and went still.

“But knowing that it would never go anywhere… even if I begged is miserable.”

Candido looked away. “And… your mate? Have you and he…?”

“Jealous.”

He set his jaw and said nothing. I pulled my hand away from his. Then he grabbed me and pulled me towards him across the seat. I was so close I could see every flicker of color in his eyes as the instincts in him seemed to war.

Again, I thought he would kiss me. I thought he might push me down and have me in the back of the jeep. I thought he might just cross the line and give us both what we really wanted, but he didn’t move.

“Don’t.” He said stiffly. “Not until I meet him.”

I narrowed my eyes. “And if I do?”

He growled. “Don’t test me, Hedy.”

I pulled back and out of his arms. He let out a pained sigh before he got out of the jeep and followed me into the building.

“Hedy, wait, I—”

I walked into the elevator and pressed the close button. The doors shut in his face before he could say a thing and I rested me head against the coolness of the door.

My phone vibrated, but I ignored it until it stopped going off. I got into the condo and changed into jeans and a t-shirt. As I tied my boots, my phone kept going off, but I ignored it knowing it was Candido.

I picked up the book on the Moon Goddess hoping that I could focus on that and figure out something about the New Moon Pack that would help me.

My phone kept chiming as I read but I didn’t pick it up.