17. Addi

SEVENTEEN

His purple mage cloak is gone, revealing a skin-tight white tee that clings to muscles I didn't realize he had. Paired with fitted black jeans and worn boots, he looks sinful. When my gaze finally meets his, his blue eyes dance with amusement as he watches me take him in. His blond hair is ruffled and I can't deny the instinctive need to run my fingers through the layers.

Remembering myself, I clear my throat, aware that my skin is flushing under his knowing stare. "There is no date." The words sound lame, even to my ears, and when he rolls his eyes at me, it feels well deserved. But I genuinely thought we were past this.

"You're not dense, Cupcake. We both know this, and we both know that I specifically said Friday night at seven. And would you look at that?" he dramatically glances down at the black leather watch strapped on his wrist.

Fucker.

"I didn't agree to this," I ramble, standing my ground with less conviction than I would like, but seeing him at my door has thrown me for a loop.

"There was nothing to agree to, remember?" He cocks a brow at me and I fold my arms over my chest, trying to create another layer of defense between us.

"You're standing at my door; that seems like something we should agree to," I retort, and he shakes his head dismissively.

"Cupcake, you can drag this out however you like, but this is happening. Either you get changed and we head out, or I'm coming in there and we can get our chill on."

Smiling proudly, I shake my head at him this time. "That's where you're wrong. I have wards in place, which means I can stay in here, and you can do whatever you please, but it won't be inside these four walls." Feeling the dramatics, I grab my door, and with a flourish, I swing it toward him, ready to see the back of him, but before the satisfactory slam can ring out between us, he stops the motion with his hand.

I blink at where his hand is pressed against my door, my heart ricocheting in my chest as I process the fact that his hand is on my door…inside the ward.

"Can I be honest with you?" he asks, all calm and collected, and it irritates the hell out of me.

"Sure," I rasp, not taking my eyes off his hand.

"Will it earn me brownie points?" he quizzes, and I scoff.

"Probably not."

"Then I'll keep it to myself."

My eyes rush to his, narrowing at the smugness that spreads across his face.

"Keep what to yourself?" I grumble, and he shrugs, eyebrows rising as he waits for more. I sigh, defeat getting the better of me. "Fine, brownie points."

His smug grin grows as he somehow stands taller without removing his hand from my door. "Morgan's ward is great, but it's no match for a mage. So what he should have been saying is that it will keep out anyone and everything but the mages. If you want something stronger, I can help with that."

Fuck. I would love to call him out for his bullshit, but the fact that his hand is still inside the ward I set earlier tells me it's true. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I take a deep breath, failing to accomplish anything with it.

"Of course you can," I grumble, knowing exactly where this is going before he even speaks.

"How about this: you get your sweet ass changed and come out with me, and I'll put a stronger ward in place that would keep even me out."

Now that's bullshit I can call out. "You mean a ward you would have control of?"

He shakes his head, lifting his free hand in the air as a show of surrender. "I'll link it to you, I swear it."

My eyes narrow. "Why?"

"Why?" he repeats, the confusion clear in his eyes.

"Why offer that?"

He stares at me for a moment before he sighs. "Because you're spoiling my Friday vibe, and by the time we're done for the weekend, I won't even want to come anywhere near your room again. One and done, remember?"

He still thinks he's getting a piece of me this weekend. He's mistaken, but if it gets me a stronger ward, the illusion that he might could work in my favor.

My lips purse as I consider his offer, but my thoughts are interrupted by the sound of laughter echoing up the stairs, followed moments later by Flora and Arlo. He's tickling her waist, making her squeal, and my heart clenches at how carefree they are. I wonder what that would feel like.

I know it's not something I will ever feel, not with the path life has set out for me. I'll either die trying to reach my goal or claim what is rightfully mine, destined to be on alert and guarded for as long as I live.

It's a decision I'm fine with until there's a small break in the clouds, just like now.

"Oh, hey, Addi. We were just coming to find you," Flora states, stepping out of Arlo's grasp as she approaches.

"Find me?" I ask, pretending the mage before me doesn't exist, but he seems to have different ideas.

"She's busy. On a date."

Flora's eyes widen and amusement ticks the corner of her mouth up.

"Oh, for her birthday?" she asks sweetly, and I glare at her. She knows exactly what she's doing.

"Her birthday?" Brody asks, lifting his hand from my door to scrub his chin.

"Yeah." She points to the plaque on the door that reads my name and date of birth. She's dead. So, so, dead for this.

"Well, well, well. Would you look at that? Get yourself ready, Cupcake. You're in for a birthday treat. And you already know what my gift is."

He's either referring to his dick, which I definitely won't be accepting, or the stronger ward. The latter is the perfect gift. With my mind settled on that, I take a deep breath, exhaling slowly as I nod.

Fuck it. Here goes nothing.