Thorns of Fate: Serendipity Saga Book One

Chapter Thirty-Seven

I didn't wake up when we arrived at the mansion. I finally began to stir when a pair of warm arms swept beneath me and lifted me from the vehicle.

The night was beginning to get colder, summer now ending and the first tendrils of fall making their appearance.

I blinked my eyes, lifting my head from Carson's chest and glancing up at him. He glanced down at me and smiled. I shivered without meaning to in the cold and his smile vanished. Anton had stepped out of the vehicle behind him, his hand darting back into the hummer to help Kellic out. They exchanged a glance.

"I'm going to take her to bed," Carson said looking over to Anton. "We'll talk later."

Anton nodded and Carson turned toward the building with me still in his arms. He carried me inside, silently.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, not realizing how exhausted I really was until we started making our way down identical corridors. I still wasn't sure that I could find his suite on my own.

"For what?" He asked, heading down another hall.

"For everything," I replied. "For almost killing you. For you having to come save me. For the imprint. For Anton." I dreaded bringing up the tension between us but I couldn't pretend it wasn't there.

He walked quietly for a moment until we reached his door. He pulled keys from his pocket and unlocked the door, balancing my weight easily.

His eyes were dark but he didn't seem angry. "None of this is your fault," he said at last.

"It feels like it is," I replied.

He looked me over as he swung the door open and entered. His gaze softened as he glanced me over. "None of this is your fault," he said again, as though he were trying to convince me. "Anton...did what he had to. I only fault Henrick for that."

That hit me hard and I found myself crying without much reason to. "What did I do to deserve you?" I asked, sleepily, feeling more drowsy the closer we got to the bedroom.

He chuckled, opening the bedroom door and sauntering to the bed. He laid me down gently, rolling me to help unzip my dress and tugging it from my body. He then made quick work of untying the restraints on my corset and tugging it off next.

I breathed deeply for what felt like the first time in ages. He then covered me and began tugging off his shirt. He discarded it to the floor and tucked the blankets around me before working on his pants next. Once he was clad in only his boxers he worked his way around to the other side of the bed, sliding in beside me. He pulled my to splay across his chest.

"It's funny you say that," he said, "because I've been asking myself that every day since you woke up."

I pondered that asking myself the question again. I felt so undeserving of this magnificent man. He had gone to Hell and back for me and had saved my life already on countless occasions.

The warmth of his chest lulled me closer to sleep all the time. "I love you, Carson," I whispered, fighting to keep my eyes open.

His fingers brushed my face, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "I love you too, Kyra. For always and ever," he replied and it was the last thing I heard before falling fast asleep in his arms.

I woke up suddenly, my hands grasping at the sheets around me. The bed was warm, meaning Carson couldn't have left long before. I could hear the sound of water running in the bathroom and feel the warm air around the room. I sat up, searching around the room for my purse.

I found it sitting on a table near the door back into the rest of the suite and fished around in it, looking for my phone. I pulled it out seeing a text from Kellic reading 'I love you, cuz'. I quickly typed a response and said 'I needed that, Kel. Love you, too.'