CARA
New York City. Greene Street Loft. Sunday, May 26, 6:15 PM ET
“HEY, MICHAEL,” Cara said, entering the kitchen with Kai.
Michael broke out into a wide smile when he saw them and came to greet Kai. “Hey, good to see you. How was your trip in?”
Their hands touched in greeting, and Cara left them to it.
Her attention was magnetically drawn to Simon.
Apparently, he’d been busy while she was upstairs with Kai. He stood purposefully ignoring her while he worked at the stove, his broad back to her. His emotions churned around him. Self-doubt, hurt, anger… she tasted them all in a jumble of sour grapes and crushed aspirin.
She softened when she looked at him. She loved him more than words could express. Why didn’t he understand that?
One thing she’d learned about her fiancé is that he either cooked or painted when stressed, making the kitchen and his art studio his two safe places. The only other place she’d seen him utterly in his comfort zone was leading a mission.
His shoulders tensed as she sidled up behind him. “Are you still mad?”
The heady aroma of melting chocolate filled her senses before she peeked around his arm and spotted eight individual ramekins. Chocolate soufflés.
His silence and the tense set to his jaw answered her question. As she suspected, he wasn’t cooking just to feed them. A major dose of stress relief was woven into this culinary exercise.
“Did you call Constantina?”
“Yes,” he said flatly. Still refusing to look at her, he continued to stir the batter.
“And you’re still mad.”
He stopped stirring and turned his head, his blue eyes flashing. “Yes.”
Her Irish temper bubbled up inside of her, twisting her mouth into a frown. “For what, exactly? Didn’t she explain the hormone thing to you?”
“Keep your voice down,” he commanded telepathically.
Cara’s face warmed as her blood pressure rose. “Then let’s take this somewhere else. I refuse to feel like I’ve done something wrong… because I haven’t.”
Dropping the spoon, he strode out of the kitchen, down the hallway, and into the master bedroom. She raced to keep up. Closing the door behind her, she let loose.
“What’s the matter with you?” She wanted to stomp her foot in frustration. “You’re acting like I cheated on you or something.”
He clenched his hands and paced without speaking, wrapped in a blanket of anger. She wanted to scream. Instead, she took a deep cleansing breath and walked over to him.
He stopped to glare at her, his mouth a tight line. “I heard what you said to Kai.”
She froze in place and asked cautiously, “What do mean, you heard what I said to Kai?”
His anger transformed to hurt. “I heard you…” He folded his muscled arms over his chest and swallowed, then looked away. “I was coming up to apologize after I called Constantina. I heard you talking through the door.”
Cara withered inside. There were some conversations that should never be overhead or repeated. Her discussion with Kai on the roof happened to be one of them.
She sat down on the bed. “What part did you hear?” she asked, softly.
He looked up at her with hard eyes. “The part where he told you he was coming back for you, and then you both cried.” He strode to the door. “Don’t let me stand in your way.”
She leaped up and grabbed his arm. “Did you stay to hear the rest of it? Or are you just going to judge me on the piece you heard out of context?”
“Does it really matter?”
“Yes, it matters! Simon, how many times do I have to tell you? I chose you—you alone. I love you. But I can’t help that I once loved other men, including one who happened to have saved my life. That’s just the way it is.”
His features twisted into a mask of anger and hurt which was reflected in the swirl of energy surrounding him. Seeping into her physical space, it filled her with discomfort. “Maybe it is. But right now, I want to be alone.” He opened the door. “I’m going to stay here tonight.”
Unable to contain her anger, a vein pulsed in her neck. “Fine! I’ll go back to the penthouse with Kai. Enjoy your cold bed tonight… soul mates or not… maybe the Trinity Stones were wrong!” She regretted the words almost the instant they passed through her lips.
He slammed the door behind him so hard it rattled on the frame, followed by the sound of his size fifteens stomping back to the kitchen.
Tears of frustration sprang to Cara’s eyes and she threw herself back onto the bed. Could Simon be right? Could her friendship with Kai be wrong? Kai was married and her heart had moved on to Simon. She valued their friendship dearly and although she would always love him, she was no longer in love with him. Would she have to give him up to avoid hurting Simon? Could she? The thought of losing either of them tore at her heart.
A soft knock sounded at the door. “Cara, may I come in?” Michael. His caring voice elicited more tears and made her ache for Simon.
“Sure.” She sat up and wiped the mascara stains from under her eyes with her fingertips.
He slipped inside. The door latched closed with a soft click.
Settling down beside her, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Hey, I could feel your distress from the kitchen. Is there anything I can do?”
Cara loved Michael for his compassionate nature. He’d been a comfort to her many times since she’d entered this crazy life.
“Beside beat some sense into Simon? No,” she said, sniffling. Leaning her head on his shoulder, she breathed in his cologne and relaxed. “I don’t know what to do. Simon overheard something he shouldn’t have. I can’t deny I’ve loved Kai. But, it’s not like that now. I’m crazy in love with Simon. I wouldn’t cheat… ever. And neither would Kai.”
“Just give Simon some time to cool down.” Michael kissed her forehead, and paused. “But you need to know that Kai’s not over you no matter what he’s told you… even if you’re over him.”
She jerked her head back and crinkled her nose. “Michael, he’s never led me to believe he’s wanted more than friendship.” That wasn’t a surprise given his situation. Then it hit her. “Wait… how would you know that?”
Michael looked away.
“Michael?”
He gave her a sheepish look. “I think it’s easier for guys to see it in other guys, but married or not, Kai is still in love with you.”
She shook her head. “I’m sorry, what?” Michael had no idea how much she would have begged to hear those words two months ago before she’d met Simon. How was that even possible? Could she have been too blinded by all those years of thinking he never loved her to see it? Even though Kai’s confession on the roof had been a complete shocker, he’d spoken about his feelings in the past, not the present.
Michael squeezed her shoulder. “If it helps, he’s fighting those feelings. He loves you too much to interfere with your relationship. And please, don’t ask how I know.”
He spoke with an authority that meant Kai had told him… or he’d read his mind. Cara couldn’t count the number of times that Michael knew things about her that she’d never told him. On more than one occasion, Constantina had hinted that Michael had hidden abilities.
Oh. My. God. He could read thoughts… her personal thoughts, Kai’s personal thoughts.
Cara stiffened, wrenching herself from Michael’s embrace. Her eyes bore into him. “You’re a Telepath, aren’t you? That’s one of your gifts.”
Michael reared back as a surge of bitter lemon fear rippled through him. No use denying it. She could taste the truth.
MICHAEL
Panic coursed through him, his body ready for flight. “Cara… I…” He popped up onto his feet ready to bolt. He’d gone too far this time and accidentally exposed his secret.
Does no good deed go unpunished? he wondered, feeling like a coward and wanting to avoid the brunt of her rejection.
She grabbed his arm. “Wait.” Her green eyes held his, questioning as if wanting to understand.
He had to look away. “Please don’t tell Sienna,” he whispered. If she found out, she’d push him away too like his closest friends had done when he was a child. He’d stopped sharing his gift after that. The few times he’d tried as an adult, friendships had cooled when those he thought cared for him turned away in fear.
He wasn’t ready to abandon the glimmer of happiness he shared with Sienna the night before. He planned to see her again later, hoping for a second night. Miraculously, his old nightmares had not returned to ruin his world but Sienna finding out about his telepathy might just do it.
Wrapping his arms around himself in a hug, he shifted uncomfortably on his feet, taking Cara off guard, who stared at him with her mouth ajar. Not able to control his movements, a tremor of anxiety shook him from head to foot.
What will they think of me now? Will Cara and Simon shun me?
Without warning, Cara drew him into a tight hug. “It’s okay, I’ve been there myself. Breathe with me,” she whispered, referring to her history of panic attacks. She expanded and contracted her chest against him. His breathing steadied and he relaxed in her arms, resting his head next to hers. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Couldn’t. No one knows. Please don’t tell,” he pleaded, fighting the paralysis of his vocal cords.
Cara’s warm hands rubbed his back, comforting him. “Shh, I won’t say anything. It’s your secret. But you should at least tell Simon.”
The thought of telling Simon curdled his stomach, but not as much as Sienna finding out.
“Still friends?” he asked, sounding pathetic and confused, loathing his weakness. Their role reversal unnerved him.
“Of course. What kind of silly question is that?” Her breath felt warm on his hair, and her strong arms stayed firm around him. He found her Nephilim strength eerily soothing. The taste of her sincerity resonated on his tongue with a hint of maple and he knew she spoke the truth. His eyes watered with relief and the loneliness he carried all these years disappeared a little with her acceptance. Of all his secrets, this one was the least damning.
“I think you have an amazing gift,” she said. “I’m sorry it’s caused you pain.”
“Thank you,” he whispered.
“I love you like a brother, you know. You don’t have to hide from me.” She kissed his forehead and let him go.
They sat back down on the bed. He let out a deep breath, wanting to explain. “My father was the only person who knew. Not even my mother knows… But I can control it.” He searched her eyes, wringing his fingers together. “I’m not a voyeur. I don’t spy on people’s thoughts.”
Well, not unless it’s something really important, he admitted to himself.
“I trust you.” She reached over and squeezed his hand. Calming energy entered his hand where she touched him.
“Changing topics, how was your night with Si—”
Simon’s stern voice interrupted inside of their heads. “Cara, Michael, come out to the kitchen. Isaac’s been attacked.”