Page 55 of Enchanted

Funny how time worked. If the two of us hung out with that crowd now, it’d be the other way around. Dave and I might be in a relationship, but we were long out of the lovesick couple stage.

“Yeah, that’s rough,” I said finally. “I don’t think I’d like that if I were you.”

“It’s why I need you.” He shot me a wink. “Your job is to distract me from all the lovey-dovey bullshit going on around here.”

I rolled my eyes, but internally I was grinning. “Fine. I guess that’s something I can do.”

My conversation with Rami was still playing on my mind when he dropped me home. When had Dave and I stopped being affectionate with each other? Long before my diagnosis, I knew that much.

One thing was for sure—I had to remind myself what I was fighting for. Of the relationship we’d built through the years.

Or I had to let it go.

Tonight I was going to insist we went out to dinner. Somewhere neutral. We needed to stop skirting around the subject and have an honest, open discussion about our future.

But, as I opened our front door, I realised we were past that point.

Dave had already made the decision for both of us.

My gaze didn’t leave the bright blue jacket as I slowly closed the door behind me. I winced as I registered the noises coming from the bedroom I shared with Dave. They weren’t bothering to be quiet, and why would they? I wasn’t due home for another hour.

This isn’t your fault. Yes, the shoot wrapped early, but that doesn’t give him the right to fuck another man in the bed you share.

But what if it was my fault? I’d hardly been good company over the past few months. And with the way I’d been lusting after Rami…

A voice that sounded suspiciously like his rumbled in my mind. That’s not the same as fucking someone else, and you know it.

I rested against the front door. I wasn’t heartbroken. I should be, but I wasn’t. I also wasn’t surprised. I’d seen the signs long before now.

I’d just refused to acknowledge them.

What I was was angry. Furious that Dave hadn’t had the balls to end things before moving on.

Well, I wasn’t a coward. And I wasn’t about to slip out the door and pretend I didn’t know. Straightening my spine, I made my way up the stairs, ready to confront Dave and whoever he had in there.

After that? I had no idea. No clue what to do.

But one thing was certain.

I couldn’t stay here.

Chapter 15

Rami

My plan had been to drive around the corner, park my car, and fly back to hover over Ethan’s home. Just as I’d done the past few nights.

But before I could drive off, I felt Ethan through the mark. It had me hesitating. With those fucking wards in place, I didn’t usually feel him. Whatever he was experiencing right now was strong enough to break through.

I got out of the car, staring at the vacant space that hid my mate from me. What was happening?

A minute passed.

A second.

A third.

I was seconds away from phoning Ferry and demanding he come and remove the wards, to hell with the consequences, but just then Ethan stumbled across the wards.