Chapter Fifteen
Castor watched Leia work without alerting her to his presence. Sometimes being both fast and silent was helpful, such as when he wanted to sneak up on his assistant. He leaned in the doorway, arms crossed, and smiled at the look of utter concentration on her face. The gods had made an angel when they designed her. His heart squeezed at the mere sight. No woman had ever affected him this way.
A tiny shard of guilt pricked him at the realization that even Hilaera hadn’t caused this urgent need—not only to possess, but to protect, to cherish, and to care for—within him. He was like a teenager again, only more than he’d ever been during the short years of his youth before he’d basically stopped aging. The tiny tip of her pink tongue peeked between those berry-ripe lips. He wanted to see those lips parted in passion. He adored how she lost control with him when she was in total control at all other times. A stirring of desire had him shifting position, which caught her attention.
Her head came up. “Oh! I didn’t hear you.”
He smiled. “Sorry.”
She gave a mock glower. “Sneaky man.”
Once upon a time, she’d have used a meaner term than man. He took that as a good sign. Sleeping with him was a huge step, but that could just be physical attraction. They worked well together, and she’d admitted to having feelings for him. But feelings didn’t mean love, and she was acting strangely today. More…distant.
“Any plans tonight?”
He asked the question as casually as he could. Her only reaction was a quick check of the time. If she was about to do what he suspected, his nymph was phenomenal at hiding her true emotions.
Before she could lie to his face, he continued. “I’m playing poker with Pollux and some friends.”
“Oh.” She turned those cobalt eyes his way. Guileless eyes. Maybe he was wrong.
“I think it would be a good idea for you to stay at my place tonight, though.”
She frowned. “Why?”
“With Kaios still on the loose, I don’t like the idea of you on your own. What if he attacks you?”
“Did you know more than fifty percent of personal attacks happen in the home?”
“Lyleia—”
She waved a careless hand. “I doubt that’s going to happen. He has to be wondering what personal protection I have in place now.”
She didn’t need anything but him. “It’s not worth the risk.”
Leia’s lips flattened in a stubborn look he recognized. “I’m not staying with you, Castor.”
His heart dropped to his feet at the blatant rejection. Only his suspicion of what she was up to kept him from going all demigod and claiming her here and now. “Why?”
She was silent a beat. “I’d think it obvious.”
“Not to me.”
“Don’t be so dense then.”
“I am never dense,” he growled. He needed her to think she had him fooled.
She ground her teeth. “You are the most frustrating man.”
“But you kinda like me for it.”
She gave a little snort. “To be clear, our relationship went from boss/employee to lovers recently. Given things are in a…transitional phase, living together, even short term for my protection, is a bad idea.”
“Transitional phase, huh?” He didn’t like that. He didn’t like any of this. Especially that he had no idea of her true feelings for him—whether this was lust and a quick fuck, or something more.
She gave him a look that dared him to continue with that train of thought.
He held up his hands and sobered. “Okay, not staying at my place. At least have Delilah arrange protection at your apartment or a different place to stay.”
She pursed her lips.
He moved into the room and leaned his fisted hands on her desk, staring her down. “This is non-negotiable, Leia. If you don’t, I’ll camp out at your door.”
She gave a little huff. “Fine. I’ll talk to Delilah.”
Castor gave a satisfied nod. “Have Delilah’s protection detail meet you here.”
She narrowed her eyes at the command.
“How about dinner at my place tomorrow night?” he asked before she could argue.
Rather than answer, she searched his face. “You want to continue with this?” She waved a hand between them. “Whatever is between us?”
Continue? He wanted forever. He just wasn’t sure if telling her would scare her off. “Given you woke up in my bed this morning—”
With a quick glance she checked the door behind him. “You didn’t just say that in the middle of my office,” she muttered.
“You called us lovers,” he pointed out. “Yes. I want to continue. Do you?” He held his breath and waited for her answer.
She stared at him, as if debating.
Come on, honey, be honest with me. Let me in.
“Dinner tomorrow sounds…wonderful. Can I bring anything?”
He released his pent-up breath in a silent whoosh. “That sexy black thing you had on the other night wouldn’t go amiss.”
“Seriously?” She held her hands wide, indicating the office. “Still at work.”
Castor chuckled and gave her an unrepentant grin. Even worried about her, he felt lighter than he had in centuries. “So, tomorrow night?”
“It’s a date.”
He pretended not to notice how the answering sparkle in her eyes had dimmed. He wasn’t wrong about what she was really planning. “Excellent. See you then.” With a wave he strode out of the office, only to turn around at the elevator and stride back into their office suite.
“Forget something?” she asked.
“Yes.” He came around the desk and bent to take her face in his hands. “This.” He laid his lips over hers in an urgent kiss filled with all the emotion this extraordinary woman provoked in him.
Someday, she would learn to trust him with her whole heart. Until then, he’d do everything in his power to make sure she stayed and was safe.
He pulled back, savoring the womanly taste of her, to gaze into her startled eyes. “To remember me by.”
She cocked her head, lips twitching. “I wasn’t likely to forget.”
For her sass, he planted another kiss on that delectable mouth. “Bye.”
“Bye.” He liked the husky note that had entered her voice. She definitely wasn’t physically averse to him. The question was, where was he in her heart?
As he waited for the elevator to bring him down to the parking garage, he mulled over his next steps. If Leia had her way, he wouldn’t see her tomorrow. She’d done a magnificent acting job trying to convince him all would continue. However, after their call with Delilah this morning, for a brief flash he’d caught the look of tenderness she’d cast his way. His heart had tripped over itself in the hope that perhaps her feelings ran deeper than simple lust. But he’d also seen the flash of panic immediately following.
She was going to do a runner. He was certain of it.
He was equally certain losing her was not an option.
He didn’t have to wait long before Leia appeared in the parking lot. Alone. Did the woman have zero common sense? Staying far behind, he followed her home to her apartment. She lived in a new complex in downtown Austin that boasted shops on the first level, like living above a shopping center or outdoor mall. Her apartment, the one or two times he’d been in it, was tastefully decorated exactly how you’d expect a nymph’s taste to be—all blues and water themes, a large freshwater fish tank taking up one entire wall of her living room. He’d found it tranquil.
He discarded his jacket, leaving it in the car, and rolled up the sleeves of his white dress shirt. He gave her enough time to get deep into packing before he headed upstairs to catch her.
He knocked at her door. “Leia?”
Silence.
“I know you’re in there. Let me in.” He knocked harder.
Silence.
“Leia? I won’t force my way in, but I’m not leaving until Delilah’s protection shows up.”
More silence.
She hadn’t left. He would’ve seen her go.
Castor pounded on the door now. “Leia?”
No answer.
He checked that no one was watching and gave the door the tiniest kick. It burst open, splintering the wooden doorframe where the lock was. A quick search of her apartment showed him Leia was gone. Castor pulled out his phone and dialed the only person he could think of.
“Where is she?” he demanded.
“She’s protected,” Delilah answered.
He had to concentrate on not crushing the phone. “Protecting her is my job. Tell me where she went.”
“Funny, she sees protecting you as her job.”
He shook his head. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means she loves you. How you managed to get her to feel something other than numb is a miracle.”
Leia loved him. His stomach clenched with elation and roiling fear for her safety. “Delilah…if anything happens to her and I’m not there, I’ll never forgive myself.”