Free Forever and Beyond by Jayde Scott Page B

was all show?” I asked, incredulous.
    “Pretty much.” Aidan’s smile disappeared and his expression darkened again. “But that doesn’t mean Blake and I are friends again. That period of our lives is over.”

     

Chapter 9

     
    I was so absorbed in our conversation that I didn’t even notice when Julie returned. Daylight had just given way to darkness when we finally stood from our seats on the sofa and went about closing the shutters for the night. According to Aidan, that wasn’t so much a choice as expected of us in Morganefaire .
    “You don’t leave your curtains undrawn or shutters open, not if you don’t want the Council talking sense into you,” Kieran said. “And by talking I don’t actually mean the use of words. More like ending up at the bottom of a cold, freezing lake tied to a giant slab of concrete.”
    “It’s not so much their unwanted attention you should be worried about, but the fact that the night has countless ears,” Aidan said dryly. “It’d rather not have them tune in to our conversation.”
    I nodded and finished up barricading the house, then returned to my place on the sofa. Aidan was already there, waiting for me. His arms wrapped around me like I always belonged in them. As his bonded mate, it was my rightful place by his side, and he wasn’t afraid to show it at any given opportunity.
    Breathing in his scent, I relaxed and almost forgot the world around me…until I felt Julie’s gaze on me. Even though I should’ve been used to sensing ghosts by now, a cold shudder ran down my back. It wasn’t malice that mirrored in her eyes, but it wasn’t happiness for us either. And how could I blame her? When death came to claim her physical body, it also took with it any chance of finding love again.
    Out of respect for the pain she must be going through, I put some space between Aidan and me, and cleared my throat.
    Aidan frowned and his grip around my hand tightened. “What’s wrong?”
    “She’s here, isn’t she? That ghost chick, Julie,” Kieran said, glancing around. “Where is she?”
    A smile lit up Julie’s face. She definitely had a crush on Kieran. I raised my chin slightly and pointed. “To the left by the table.”
    “She can listen in if she wants to,” Kieran said. “Just make her stand by the window or something.”
    “Are you scared?” I teased.
    “Well, it was different in a public place, but now we’re all trapped in a room. You’ve got to admit that’s a little freaky.”
    “Yeah, it’s awkward with you two hanging around all the time,” Julie said, pointing at Aidan and me. She inched closer until she hovered in mid-air inches away from Kieran, the black fog around her feet gathering around him like a cocoon. “Tell him I don’t bite…unless he wants me to.”
    “She says she doesn’t bite…unless you want her to.” I smiled as Aidan rolled his eyes.
    “You just don’t get it, do you?” Kieran said. “I don’t want her drooling all over me while I take a shower—naked. I demand a little privacy because, when women see me without my clothes on, well, let’s just say they can’t help themselves.”
    “You wish.” I laughed. The sad thing about Kieran was that he really thought he was God’s gift to the female population.
    “I kid you not.” Kieran sat up, wide-eyed, and shook his head. “Last time I was in London on bounty hunter business I had to check into a hotel. I didn’t notice the open curtains—”
    “You left them open on purpose,” Aidan cut in.
    Kieran continued, ignoring him. “Imagine me taking a shower when the phone rings—”
    “I’d rather you didn’t,” Aidan whispered in my ear.
    My lips twitched as I squeezed his hand to quiet him and tuned back into Kieran’s sordid story.
    “—so I hurry to answer it. She must’ve seen me naked from the opposite building because five minutes later there’s a knock on my door and this chick basically throws herself at me.”
    I rolled my eyes and