“Well, since you can’t come with me today, there’s something you can do to make it up to me,” I say, spinning around to face him before I reach the adjoined bathroom.
“And what’s that?” he responds with a raised brow. He looks so amazingly sexy lounging on the bed, dressed only in black boxer briefs.
“Hmmm, why don’t you meet me in the shower and find out?”
And before I can turn around to tease him with my sultry exit, Dorian appears before me, trails of dark vapors dissolving around his frame. Then he shows me just how incredibly skilled he is at manipulating water, pleasuring me under the shower’s jets until my body is too weak and sated to withstand anymore.
***
“Where the hell have you been, young lady?” Chris barks as soon as I step foot in the house. “You nearly gave us heart attacks. Do you know how worried we’ve been?”
“Sorry, forgot my phone,” I mutter, brushing past him.
“Is that you, Gabriella?” my mom calls out, scurrying from the kitchen.
“Yeah. I’m back. Alive, obviously,” I say sardonically. I really don’t want to be here; it doesn’t even feel like home anymore.
“So? Where were you?” Chris questions, following me into my room.
I toss my purse onto my bed and kick off my sneakers. “With Dorian. And for your information, he told me everything. He was honest about why he came here. And you know what? He’s not going to do it; he can’t. Dorian loves me, and like it or not, I love him too.”
“And you believe him?” Chris is really beginning to annoy me with the third degree.
“Most definitely. He can’t lie; he’s been spelled. And he’s taught me more about who I am than I would have learned on my own. He’s helping me deal with all this. And he is risking his own life to protect me. I seriously doubt a heartless killer would do something like that.”
“It’s not that we think he’s heartless, dear. We’re just worried for you,” Donna says, feeling the tension radiating between Chris and I. I will myself to calm down, remembering Dorian’s reservations about meeting with my parents.
“Well, don’t be. I appreciate you both, I truly do, but this is beyond you. Dorian wants to save me. I know you think he’s this bad guy but he’s not. He’s good. He has the ability to love, just like my father did.”
“Dorian isn’t a bad guy,” Donna says reassuringly. Chris rolls his eyes and shakes his head before stalking out of my bedroom and down to his study. Donna’s solemn eyes follow his retreat before returning to me. “I just know what he’s up against. Even he can’t fight it.”
“Because he’s the Dark Prince. Because his father is the king.”
“Yes. No one defies him and lives to tell about it,” Donna replies gravely. “He won’t win.”
I sigh and walk to my door, indicating that I’d like to be alone. I’m tired of talking about this. I just want some peace. I just want Dorian.
“Look, I need to get ready for Morgan’s party. I’ll be ready to go in half an hour.”
My mom nods and exits the room. She turns to look at me with mournful eyes. “I just want you to be careful. That’s all we want from you. You can’t save him and save yourself too.”
Though Morgan and her family also reside in Briargate, their ranch style home is considerably more lavish and extensive. We pull up to the Pierre property nestled in a cul-de-sac in one of the more pricey areas of the neighborhood. Cars line the sidewalk and driveway, indicating that the party is already in full swing.
“Hey Gabs! I’m so glad you finally made it!” Morgan beams. She’s got a frozen daiquiri in her hand and is feeling tropical in a colorful maxi dress complete with an oversized flower in her hair. “Where’s Dorian?” she whispers, eyeing my parents just a few yards away.
“He couldn’t make it,” I smile weakly.
“That’s too bad. Oh well, Jared and James are here with their mom. And Miguel and his family came too. Oh! Remember those fabulous guys we met at the Luxe grand opening?” She sips her fruity cocktail through a straw.
“Yeah, Carlos, Jackson, and X, right? They came?” Looks like Dorian was right. Carlos and Jackson are both stylists at his salon.
“X didn’t. But the other guys came, and girl, they had me dying! I love them; they are freakin’ hilarious! We are so going out tonight!”
“I don’t know, Morgan. It’s supposed to rain later.” If there’s one thing that can put a damper on a night of club-hopping, it’s rain. Morgan’s weave would resemble that of a wet dog, and mine would frizz up to Diana Ross status.