Dark Heart Surrender by Lee Monroe Read Free Book Online Page B

felt scared that if we finally did it, then some magic would disappear. Everything was so perfect between us. I didn’t want anything to spoil that.
    It was the end of a long week at college, and we should have been looking forward to the freedom of the weekend. No work for Luca, no studies for me. Instead we were heading out on a Friday night for a double date. Neither of us looking forward to it.
    I slipped on some flat ballet pumps and settled myself next to Luca on the bed. Luca had refused to dress up too smartly but had compromised on a shirt, dark-blue jeans and his black-and-white trainers. To say he looked gorgeous in his white shirt was an understatement. I never got tired of looking at his beautiful, slender face or his graceful but strong hands. The past few weeks had seen his chest grow more muscular too. Not some cheesy six-pack, but broader, more like a man’s.
    ‘You look lovely too, you know,’ I told him, slipping my arm through his and stroking his hand. ‘In a manly kind of way, obviously.’
    He put his arm around me and at his touch I felt all tension slip away.
    ‘I don’t want to go either,’ I said softly, resting my head on his shoulder. ‘But we should think of this as karma. Doing something selfless for somebody else. Maybe it means that we’ll finally be left alone to do what we want.’
    ‘You mean no pesky vampires, or meddling wolves getting in the way?’ Luca said. ‘I hope you’re right, and that whatever “karma” is, it works.’
    I forced myself to look at the clock on the wall above my door. ‘We’d better get going.’ I sighed. ‘I said we’d meet them in the diner at eight.’
    ‘So, this kid – he’s the one that girl Polly tried to set you up with?’
    ‘Her brother, yeah.’ I looked sideways at him. ‘He’s probably a bit strange, like she is.’
    ‘So you arranged a date with a friend of yours without knowing anything about this guy?’ Luca frowned. ‘I would never—’
    ‘Yes, well,’ I said, irritated. ‘We’ll be there, won’t we? If there’s anything funny about him, we’ll be there to protect Ashley.’ I knew he was right. I should never have given in to pressure from Polly. But then Luca didn’t know Polly and how persuasive she was. Or rather, how intense and intimidating.
    Luca could see I was riled and, typically, he wanted to correct that. He squeezed my hand. ‘I’m sure it will be fine.’ He let go and stood up, tucking in his shirt. ‘I will want to stay till the end, though. I think we should see her home.’
    ‘I don’t think that’s necessary,’ I began. ‘He’ll be harmless.’
    Luca gave me a long, careful look. ‘I’ll be the judge of that.’ He was smiling but he meant it. I didn’t know whether to find that reassuring or unnerving.
    It seemed I could take the boy out of Nissilum, but maybe I couldn’t take Nissilum out of the boy.
    Through the windows of the diner I spotted Ashley waiting in a booth. She looked pretty, but nervous, fiddling with her clutch bag. I saw her take out her phone and place it in front of her on the table. Then she adjusted her top – a black off-the-shoulder slinky thing. Her blonde hair hung in loose ringlets in a side ponytail. She looked sexy, but vulnerable too.
    I caught hold of Luca’s hand. ‘I hope he’s nice,’ I said. ‘Ashley looks terrified.’
    Luca peered through the window too and frowned. ‘He’s late. It doesn’t bode well.’
    But as he spoke, the sound of heavy footsteps made us both turn. A boy – tall and broad-shouldered – was heading straight for us. As the street light hit him, I saw his striking dark-red hair and marble-toned complexion.
    He eyed us, a flicker of recognition in his expression.
    ‘Jane and Luca?’ he said, holding out his hand and taking mine. ‘I’m sorry I’m late. I’m Ade.’ He smiled, a devastating smile. Boyish, cheeky. Not a hint of anything dangerous about him. He glanced through the window and spotted Ashley.