15. Ezra

Chapter 15

Ezra

T he car hummed silently as Nova and I drove the two hours to Shadow Falls for Damero’s wedding. Nova scrolled on her phone for most of the drive, quietly singing under her breath to the playlist she had put on. Shadow Falls was not a masked town like Hidden Creek, but it had a large population of creatures living within it. Many in Hidden Creek saw it as a vacation destination since it was nestled in the mountains with a gorgeous view and tons of activities.

The wedding was being held at The Carrington Resort and Spa. As we walked through the front doors, the place was teeming with Woodhavens, Redds, and esteemed guests. The air was tense, and every loud noise sent a shiver down my spine. The news of the Carmines’ appearance at the luncheon had spread like wildfire, and the enhanced security measures were a stark reminder of the potential danger lurking.

Every few minutes, I cursed myself for bringing Nova here. The responsibility for her safety was heavy on my shoulders, and I couldn’t shake off the feeling of impending danger. On the other hand, Nova seemed surprisingly calm, which only amplified my unease.

“Are you okay?” Nova looked at me as we waited for the employee to return with our room keys. I found her lavender eyes and smiled. “I think we’re safe. Elias did a great job with the security.”

“He did.” I pressed my lips to her forehead, grounding myself against her warm skin. “I’m just worried.”

“It’ll be okay,” she said. “The Carmines wouldn’t be stupid enough to try anything with this many people around.”

I wrapped my arms around her shoulder and pulled her in. She slipped her hand into mine and squeezed. I was supposed to protect and comfort her, but she was the one doing it for me.

“You’re right,” I said.

She got on her toes and pecked my cheek quickly. The touch of her lips sent a surge of pure happiness through me, momentarily washing away all my worries. “Thank you for protecting me, Ezzy,” she whispered, her voice filled with gratitude and love.

The guy at the front desk handed us the keys, and we walked away. Nova’s hand stayed in mine, even in the empty elevator. The elevator rattled, and she latched onto my arm, startled by the noise. Even though the fa?ade of confidence was evident on her face, there was an underlying nervousness within her.

I draped my arm around her shoulders and brought her close. She mindlessly interlaced her fingers with mine as we walked to the room. Between what happened in the kitchen and spending the last couple of nights in the same bed, the energy between us shifted. Every touch of her skin on mine set it ablaze, and every look was laden with emotion. It was everything I had ever wanted, but I hated that fear prompted it.

I pushed the door to our room open. I should have asked Elias to get us a room with separate beds, just in case it made Nova more comfortable, but as soon as we walked in, we were met by a massive bed in the middle of the room.

“This bed is HUGE!” Nova exclaimed at the more-than-king-sized mattress.

She dropped my hand and jumped on the bed, her back landing softly on the plush comforter. Her entire body bounced on impact. The boots she had been wearing thudded on the ground as she kicked them off and spread on the bed like a starfish. The stark contrast of her purple hair and black outfit broke the sea of white and made her look angelic. Gorgeous.

Nova propped herself up and leaned back on her forearms. “Come feel this bed. I think we’re going to sleep on a cloud.”

I let myself fall backward next to her. “You’re right,” I laughed. “This is really comfy.”

She sighed and turned to look at me. “I guess we should start getting ready,” she said, turning back and staring at the ceiling, making no effort to move. “You don’t really think anything will happen today, do you?”

“I think we’re as safe as we’re going to be,” I said, continuing to waffle on the issue.

Nova got off the bed silently, and I could see the gears turning in her head. Her thoughts ran rampant as she paced, and the colors in her eyes flickered between various shades. Patiently, I sat up and moved to the foot of the bed. The words would come once she had figured them out for herself. She suddenly stopped pacing in front of me.

“It will be fine,” she said, trying to assure herself. “I mean, there’s a lot of people here, and security, and…I mean, what are the odds that the Carmines know who I am? They didn’t know yesterday, so they probably don’t know today, right?” The rate of her speaking quickened, and she started crossing into panicking. “Is this even a good idea? Maybe I should come forward. I mean…” She started pacing again.

“Hey, hey.” I reached for her hip and brought her toward me. “Stop, Nova.”

“I don’t want to put anyone in danger by being here,” she said, looking at me with tears in her eyes. My heart shattered in my chest. “If anything happens to anyone or you—" She gasped. “Oh my Gods, Ezzy, if anything happens to you…it would be all my fault.”

“Nova,” I stated, setting both hands on her hips. “None of this is your fault.” I looked up at her, my beautiful Nova. “Other creatures being evil is not your fault. Others wanting to hurt you is not your fault.”

“You’re just being nice because I’m panicking.”

“You’re safe, Nova.” I squeezed her hips and pulled her closer. “You’re panicking about something that might not even happen.”

I took her wrists and draped them over both of my shoulders, her fingers interlaced behind my head. Her chest was inches from me, and her cinnamon scent comforted me. It was my turn to be the confident and calm one.

“I don’t want anyone to get hurt.” She was in danger, yet all she could think about was others.

We were stuck in an impossible situation I never thought we would be in. At the end of the day, if Elias could find out, so could the Carmines. If Nova was ousted as the Manipulator, it could get ugly.

“I’m not even that interesting or important, Ezra.” She let a tear roll down her cheek. “I’m nothing special. Everyone thinks I’m weird and strange and cursed with no ability, but instead, I was cursed with one no one wants to have, yet everyone wants to control.” She partly scoffed and partly laughed. “I just want to live in a cute little cottage with a sweet little family and mind my own unimportant business. I don’t want to have this secret, but if people knew, no one would ever look me in the eye. I don’t want other creatures to fear me. I just…I just want to be normal.”

She stood in front of me with raisin-colored eyes and tear-stained cheeks. My hands were firmly on her hips, her thighs between mine, and her arms hung on my shoulders. Usually, Nova was deeply confident. She walked with her head held high and was unapologetically herself. She did whatever made her happy, always ignoring the sideways looks other creatures gave us. But she stood in front of me now, revealing an insecurity I hadn’t been privy to before. She was oblivious to how incredible she was.

“Nova, listen to me,” I said. I felt like I was drowning in her watery eyes. “You are incredible. You are so happy, so positive, so sweet. Yes, you’re weird, but not in a bad way.” I allowed my hands to run up and down her outer thigh as she gave me a shy smile. “You are accepting and kind. You put others first, or should I remind you that you’ve lived with this burden quite literally to keep people from getting hurt? Not to mention that you’re standing here, worrying about your presence putting others in danger. You’re so special, Nova, and it kills me that you can’t see that.”

“You have to say all those nice things,” she sniffled. “You’re my best friend.”

“I don’t say those things because you’re my best friend.” I swallowed my nerves and fear, standing up to shift our dynamic. “I say them because they’re true.” It was now or never. Her eyes searched my face as I cradled her cheeks in my hands. The intense purple of her eyes batted away any second thoughts I had. “I say them because they’re some of the millions of reasons I fell head over heels in love with you.”

She stopped breathing. Her body stilled, and her eyes remained pinned on me.

“You what?” she whispered in disbelief. I wasn’t backtracking, even though my brain and heart were sounding the alarm. I didn’t want her as my best friend; I wanted her as my wife. I wanted Nova for the rest of my life.

“I fell in love with you,” I said. “I love you, Nova, more than anything in this world.”

“More than chocolate cake with orange frosting?” A small smile spread through her face. Chocolate cake with orange frosting was an accidental combination when Nova added orange juice to a recipe instead of water to see what would happen. It was my favorite flavor in the world.

“More than chocolate cake with orange frosting,” I said, smiling. Nova was half laughing and half crying. I took a breath and swiped my thumb across her cheek. “Only you can turn a heartfelt love confession into a laughing fit and still have me wrapped around your finger.”

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I panicked. Continue.”

“Where was I?” I chuckled. “Oh yeah, telling you I loved you.” I pushed back a lock of hair falling across her face and tucked it behind her ear. “I’m sorry if that scares you, but it’s true. I’ve been in love with you for a long time.”

“You love me?”

“I do.” I nodded. “With everything I am.”

“I—I—" Nova laughed. She laughed when she was nervous, and her laugh was the best sound in the world. “I love you too, Ezzy.”

I felt a smile spread across my face as I looked at her. This perfectly imperfect witch—this gem—loved me too.

“I love you, Ezra,” she stated. “I’ve loved you for a long time. I’ve always been too afraid to say anything because I don’t want to lose you.”

“You could never lose me, Nova.” I wiped a tear from her cheek. “You could try to get rid of me, and I would still be beside you.” Her shaky sigh sent a shiver down my spine.

“Hey, Ezzy,” she whispered. “Can you kiss me now?”

I didn’t need to be told twice.

My lips meeting hers for the first time felt like a rollercoaster I never wanted to get off of. It was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. It made me feel like I was flying but also falling. When Nova’s hands clutched my shirt, I was a starving man at a buffet. She pulled me into her, and I obliged, finding our rhythm and breath again. She tasted like cinnamon laced with mint, and her lips were soft like I always imagined.

I picked Nova up off the ground, and she squealed. The slight sound made me weak in the knees. She wrapped her legs around my torso as I sat us down on the bed. Her hands found their way into my hair and ran down my back to the hem of my T-shirt.

Once we walked out of the door of our room, I didn’t know what awaited us. We had a lot to figure out, but with her body pressed against mine, her hands buried in my hair, and my lips trailing the constellations that decorated her body, I knew I would do anything to keep Nova safe.

I would make sure she had the happy, little, and quiet life she wanted.