Love Spell: Book 2 of The Grimm Laws (31 page)

Edward, on the other hand, was predictable … safe. He was fond of her, that much she knew, but he could never love her the way Rushton had. And she could never love Edward the way she’d loved Rushton. And yet, she was fond of him. How patient Edward was, sitting there and waiting for her to make a decision. His taut jaw was the only indicator that gave away the fact that he was anxious. The only body language that belied his calm exterior. Rushton would’ve been jumping up and down on the table by now. He would’ve been yelling at her, punching his fist in the air. She suppressed a smile at the thought, and then her heart clutched. How long would it take for the hurt to go away?

She lifted her chin. “You win. I will testify that I was under the influence of a spell.”

He tightened his hand over hers. “That is good news.” He smiled, and she could see sincerity shining in his eyes. “I will work to earn thy love, Cinderella. Love is a living, breathing thing. You will someday love me as I love thee. That I can promise thee,” he said earnestly.

How she wanted to believe those words. She blinked rapidly to stay the tears that were glistening in her eyes. “I thank thee … for everything,” she uttered.

The black night seemed to be soaking into their pores, and for a moment, Cinderella had the impression that they were floating above the earth. Floating above the problems … floating above the doubt. Edward stood and walked around the table. He held out his hand to her. She placed her hand in his and stood. She welcomed the embrace when he drew her into his arms. She buried her head in his shoulder and could feel his warm breath tickling the top of her head. For the first time in weeks, she felt calm and secure. Gently, he put a finger under her chin and lifted her mouth to his. “My beautiful princess,” he murmured. When his lips came down on hers, the kiss was soft and tender at first. Then it grew more urgent. A tiny shiver pulsed down her spine, and she returned his kiss with a passion that surprised her.

When he pulled away, they were both breathing hard. Maybe there was hope for them after all. The glittering stars overhead were filled with mystery and promise. Perhaps all would right itself in the end. Then a thought struck her. She looked up at Edward. “I never got to ask thee my question.”

His eyes widened as he chuckled. “I forgot.”

“Who was the girl at the banquet? The one that kissed thee.” She watched as his eyes went wide and color crept up his neck.

“She is no one of consequence,” he answered quickly.

She was unprepared for the stab of jealousy that went through her. She raised an eyebrow. Edward wasn’t getting off that easily. She’d answered him and now it was his turn to answer her.

“The name of the girl is Lynessa.”

“And you loved her.” It was a statement and not a question.

“Aye,” he admitted. “I loved her a long time ago.”

She cocked her head. “And now?”

He tightened his hold on Cinderella, pulling her to him. “Now there is only thee,” he said, his lips coming down on hers once more.

E
dward looked
up as Lynessa entered the room, sauntering like she owned the place as her dark curls bounced lightly on her shoulders. His eyes seemed to have a mind of their own as he took in her tight-fitting red sweater that hugged her curves and her snug low-rise jeans that were tucked into sleek leather boots. He tried to think—had she been wearing that earlier today at school? He was sure he would’ve noticed. Her eyes met his and held them captive. He could tell from the pleased smile tugging at the corners of her lips that she was pleased that he was admiring her. A rocket of heat surged through him, and he swallowed nervously. This could get out of hand … fast! Lynessa was the flashy bombshell type that commanded attention wherever she went. Gracefully, she sat down on the bed and stretched her shapely legs. Something about her reminded him of a cat—a very attractive cat!

She flashed a smile. “Hey.” Her voice grew sultry.

“Hey,” he repeated, trying to keep his voice impersonal. Admittedly, he’d laid things on a little thick this afternoon at the locker. He could tell from her eager expression that he’d obviously given her the wrong idea.
Stupid move!
As attracted as he was to her, he didn’t want a relationship. Lynessa was a painful reminder that in a moment of weakness—when Elle had needed him most—he’d caved and given into Lynessa’s wiles.

He reached for his backpack. “Are you ready to get started on the essay?”

She laughed lightly, patting the empty space beside her. “Come here.”

His eyes went wide. She was certainly forward—the kind of girl that had the word
trouble
written all over her. “It’s getting late, and we need to get a good start on this.” His voice trailed off, and all he could hear was his pulse beating in his temples.

Her lips formed a pout. “Too bad.” Then she surprised him by reaching for his hand.

He removed it from her grasp. “Lynessa, stop!”

She laughed, and her dark eyes flickered over his face, sizing him up. Then she stood and leaned into him. He closed his eyes as her musky perfume invaded his senses. He didn’t know what it was about this girl that absorbed him so. Even though he tried his best to resist her, he never could seem to do so. Her warm breath tickled his face.

“What’s the matter?” she purred, slipping her arms around his neck. “You enjoyed it before.” Her fingers looped through his hair.

“I made a mistake!” he muttered. It disgusted him to no end that he’d made out with Lynessa while Elle was in a coma. Lynessa had stopped by with the innocent excuse of
checking on him
. One thing led to another, and before he knew it … he’d betrayed the best thing that had ever happened to him. He, more than anyone, knew what it was like to experience such a heady attraction that it could cause you to lose your good sense. That was one of the reasons he was willing to be so patient with Elle about Rush. He and Lynessa had zero intellectual or emotional connections. Their attraction was purely physical. Lynessa leaned over and nipped his ear, sending tiny pulses rippling down his spine. “I don’t think we should do this right now,” he uttered, but there was not as much conviction in his voice as there had been earlier.

“Elle doesn’t have to know,” she whispered into his ear. “I didn’t breathe a word to anyone about last time.”

He went stiff. “Elle and I aren’t together anymore.”

A broad smile curved her lips as her eyes sparkled. “Even better,” she said as her lips moved against his.

He made a last-ditch effort to resist, but she smelled so amazing. Slowly, his lips began a long dance with hers, drawing him into her intoxicating world.

E
dward’s talk
with Cinderella had gone well. Better than he’d hoped. He found himself whistling against the soft night air as he walked along the outer path in the courtyard that made up the exterior shell of the boxwood maze. He’d been tempted to walk deeper into the maze, but even he (who knew it so well) could get turned around in the dark.

“Your highness.” The guard on duty bowed as Edward passed the East Guard Post. Edward returned the gesture with a curt nod as he continued on his stroll. While it irked him to think that Cinderella still had feelings for Rushton, he’d felt a sense of promise in her kiss. The trial would be ugly, but they would weather that together. Once it was over, they would be able to start anew and build a life together.

Movement caught his attention, and he turned toward it. When she stepped out of the darkness, her movements were so graceful that she might’ve been a fairy. “Edward.” His name was a caress on her ruby lips. How well he remembered her heart-shaped face that was a fraction too thin in contrast to her big, lively brown eyes. Her dark hair seemed to have a mind of its own as it cascaded fancifully around her shoulders.

“Lynessa,” he breathed. Since the night of the banquet, he’d known their paths would eventually cross. And even though she was here—standing in front of him—it was hard to believe she was real. How many times he’d walked this same path, dreaming of her, languishing over her absence. It struck him then how petite she was in comparison to Cinderella’s taller frame. A gypsy, Lynessa was an enigmatic creature whose essence he could never quite comprehend. She was as elusive as the wind and just as unpredictable.

She gave him a sly smile. “How fetching ye look, mi’ lord.”

He nodded. “You look as lovely as always.”

She cocked her head and gave him a speculative look. “I would have thought ye would be too busy with thy new fiancée to notice me.”

The collar of his tunic was starting to feel tight around his neck. “Um … aye, things have been rather busy,” he admitted. “As a matter of fact, I was just taking a quick stroll before retiring to my bedchamber.”

“How fortuitous,” she said, linking her arm through his, “as I am also out for a stroll …” she gave him a seductive look “… before I retire to my bedchamber.”

Her nearness was disconcerting. She smelled of spice and an exotic scent he couldn’t place. A few days ago, he might’ve welcomed Lynessa’s affections, but in lieu of tonight’s events … as much as it pained him to think of her this way, Lynessa was a distraction.

They strolled in silence until she spoke. “It seems like only yesterday that we strolled along this same path together.”

“Things are different now, Lynessa.” Even as he spoke the words, he felt her grow tense beside him.

“The stars, the moon, the velvet sky, they all look the same. Are things really so different now?”

Edward paused and turned to look down at her. “Aye, they are.”

He thought he might’ve seen hurt flash in her eyes, but he couldn’t be certain because she masked it with a clever smile. “Are ye really so indifferent to me now?” She caressed circles over his arm.

“I have made a commitment,” he said firmly, removing his arm from her grasp. “I am in love with someone else.”

This time, the anger that flashed in her eyes was unmistakable. “How easily ye cast me aside, prince. Ye have so eagerly feasted on the meat of the ham, and now ye toss aside the empty carcass without so much as a second glance.”

“Lynessa, I never meant to hurt thee.”

“Aye, I get that,” she slung back. “Although, try explaining that to my mother. We were huddled off in the middle of the night like guilty thieves and then dumped along the edge of the roadside like smelly refuse. And what was our crime? That a lowly minstrel dared to raise her eyes to get a glimpse of the morning sun. I fell in love with thee,” she finished softly.

He touched her arm as a wave of guilt washed over him. He’d never known for sure what happened to Lynessa and her family, but he never imagined that their treatment had been so harsh. “Lynessa, I am so sorry,” he stammered. “I did not know it was going to happen. I simply woke up one morning, and you were gone. Please, try to understand. I never would have intentionally done anything to hurt thee or thy family.”

She looked up at him, tears glistening in her eyes. “Did you even try to find me?”

“I was not certain where to look. I … er … sent messengers, but they came back empty handed.” He looked at her wounded expression, knowing that mere words would never be enough to make up for the damage that was done. “I suppose I could have tried harder,” he admitted. The empty words faded into the night.

She hugged her arms and began walking away from him. He went after her. “Lynessa, wait.” She began walking faster, and he had to jog to catch up. “Stop!” he implored.

She spun around to face him. “I hate thee,” she seethed, tears streaming down her face.

The vehemence in her voice was chilling. “I suppose I deserve it.” He gave her one long, last look. “I hope that someday you will be able to find it in thy heart to forgive me,” he said and then turned to talk away.

“Edward?” she sniffed. “Stop.”

He halted and slowly turned around.

She ran to him and threw herself into his arms, nearly toppling him over in the process. After he righted himself he looked down at her.

“I still love thee, Edward. ‘Tis the reason I came back.”

Gently, he pushed her back, holding her at arm’s length. “Lynessa, I am to be married.”

“To that peasant princess with the wooden smile?” She scoffed. “She will never love thee as I do. My love for thee courses so deeply through my veins that it has become a part of me. We made each other a promise.” She thrust her hand in his face. On her finger, she still wore the promise ring he had given her on the night they pledged their love to one another.

Edward shook his head. “’Twas a lifetime ago, Lynessa. I had no right to promise thee those things. I was young and foolish. Please understand … I have made a commitment to someone else. I am engaged to be married.”

She threw herself into his arms and pressed her lips to his. He grunted in surprise and tried to pull away, but she wouldn’t let go. Her lips were soft as they moved against his, and he caught the intoxicating scent of her luxurious hair. The old flame licked up between them, and he returned her kiss with the urgency of a man trying to suck the last tendrils of nectar from a dying flower. In that moment, the man that he’d been before took over, and he remembered all that Lynessa had meant to him. He remembered what it was like to yearn for her—to be so consumed with her that he could barely breathe. Then common sense took hold, and he realized what he was doing. He attempted to push her away, but still she clung to him.

“I cannot do this, Lynessa.”

She ignored his protest.

He thrust her away. “Nay! I will not do this,” he said hotly.

Her passion quickly turned to anger, and she let out a string of curses.

“This is over,” Edward said.

“Ye love me,” she said haughtily tossing her head, so that her thick hair went flying out behind her. There was something so feline and foreign about the movement that he wondered how he could’ve been so attracted to her.

“Nay, I love someone else.” He turned to leave. “Goodbye, Lynessa.”

“Edward,” she called after him, but he kept walking. “Edward, ye know not what ye say.” The desperation in her voice cut him to shreds, but he forced himself to keep walking. Then she started laughing, a soft mocking laugh that crept under his flesh. “Ye will never have the strength to resist me, Edward. Ye will come back to me,” she taunted. “Ye always have, and ye always will … Edward!”

He kept walking, not looking back. A few more steps and her laughter faded until there was nothing left but the quiet slumber of the midnight sky.

E
lle heard
a soft tapping and then looked toward the window. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Rush standing outside, his face pressed to the glass. She went to the window and opened it, offering Rush a strained smile. “Hey.”

“Hey, you wanna come on the roof and talk for a while?”

She looked toward the closed door. Sera had said she didn’t want to see her the rest of the evening. Hopefully, that meant she wouldn’t be bothered. “Yeah, let me grab a jacket.”

When they sat down on the roof, Rush pulled his knees into his chest and wound his arms around them. “How are you holding up?”

“I’m doing okay,” she lied, swallowing the lump that formed in her throat. She also drew her knees close and wrapped her arms around them.

He let out a dry chuckle. “You’re a terrible liar.”

She turned and got a good look at him. There was a hollow look in his eyes, and he looked as haggard as she felt. “It’s been a rough evening,” she admitted.

He nodded. “I figured as much.” He paused, his jaw working as he stared unseeingly into the darkness. “What you did … I want you to know how much I appreciate it.”

She changed the subject. “Have you heard any news about Jack?”

“Rae sent me a text a half hour ago. She went back to the hospital after she dropped us off. Thankfully, Jack’s dad wasn’t there. She talked one of the nurses into letting her into his room. One of Jack’s doctors told her that he hoped the swelling in his brain would subside enough in the next couple of days so that they can take him off the coma-inducing drugs. According to the doctor, the surgery was successful, and they’re expecting the best.”

Elle let out a sigh of relief. “Thank, heavens!” She was relieved for Jack, and she was relieved for them.

“Yeah, that’s good news, but the doctor said they won’t know the extent of the brain damage until he comes to.”

She nodded, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks. Their lives had changed in an instant, and now that the damage was done, she wasn’t sure how it was all going to end. They sat there, staring at the night sky and the stars above, each of them lost in their thoughts until finally Rush spoke.

“I still see him in my dreams.”

She wasn’t sure she’d heard him correctly at first. “Jack?”

“No, Brian.” Emotion cracked his voice. “We were so stoked because we’d won the football game.” He clenched a fist. “Brian was too drunk to drive, so he tossed me the keys. It started raining … one of those light drizzles that you hardly pay any attention to. One minute we were driving down the road like nothing, and the next, everything fell apart. I just couldn’t believe that Brian was dead. It was my fault.” He gulped, and she saw his shoulders shake. She realized then that he was crying softly.