The Legend of the Eight: The Hunted (Book 5)

3: Walk Away Before You're Bleeding

THREE: WALK AWAY BEFORE YOU'RE BLEEDING
FEBRUARY 6
WIL DIAMOND

IT WAS LATE LAST NIGHT when he came to bed and when he did, he slipped in beside her and draped his arms over hers. He kissed the side of her head, murmured a quiet "goodnight, baby" and then they both drifted off to sleep.

It was morning now and she had been out of bed long enough to shower and tweeze her eyebrows. She sat cross-legged on the floor in front of a ten-foot mirror, applying her makeup and air-drying her long, chestnut-brown curls. In the mirror, she saw him sleeping soundly in her bed, wrapped up in sheets made of cream silk and gold thread. A morning sun spilled through a large window, casting a light over him and the entire room.

There was a soft knock on one of the two French doors to the room and she padded over to it, wearing his blue button down and her white Calvin's.

When she opened the door, she saw her personal security detail, Mr. Flynn, with his sunglasses over his eyes and his hands folded in place. Beside him was a girl whose summery blonde hair was still damp and she wore a set of lilac-colored satin pajamas.

"Kate," said Wil, smiling at her sister. "Hey. I thought you'd be at your fitting by now."

Kate shook her head and tugged on the cuffs of her pajamas.

"It got pushed to the same time as yours," she answered, then peeked over her sister's shoulder into the room. Her Tiffany's box-blue eyes spotted the man-shaped lump in the bed and then she asked,

"What time did he get here last night? I didn't hear him come in."

"Late," Wil answered. "He had work to finish and I wanted to wait until Clarion went to bed."

"You know she knows about you two," Kate smirked. "The whole Realm does after WoMWeekly dedicated five cover stories to you two."

"I know," Wil sighed, turning back to look at him asleep in her bed. "But this is our second chance. I don't want to screw it up, you know?"

Kate nodded like she did and then gestured to Wil's lack of pants. "Well, I'll let you finish getting ready. See you for our fitting at ten?"

Wil nodded, blew her sister a kiss, and then stepped back into her room, shutting the door behind her.

"Good morning, gorgeous."

She looked over to see him sitting up in her bed, the sheets gathered at his waist to reveal a taut, bare chest. He folded his hands in his lap and he was smiling at her. He had a beautiful smile.

Wil padded over to him and climbed the length of her bed so she was in his arms—her safe place. "Hi baby," she said, pressing a kiss into his lips. "How'd you sleep?"

"Better with you here." His hand caressed her side and his chin rested on top of her head. "Was that your sister out there?"

Wil nodded. "We have our dress fittings in a bit. Your suit should be sent up soon. Then I have a deep-conditioning treatment scheduled with Maurice before this luncheon with my family."

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her on top of him. "No. Don't leave me," he whined. "Let's just stay here in bed all day."

"Ollie!" she laughed, gazing into his sea glass-colored eyes. They weren't quite blue but were a shade lighter than green. They were beautiful. They were kind and happy and loving. And when they looked at her, they lit up.

"Believe me, I'd stay if I could," she giggled and held his face in her hands. She leaned down to kiss him. "But Leo's coronation is tomorrow. I have a million things to do before then and my family's in town so I can't. But if you're lucky, we can do dinner tonight and end up right back here in this bed."