Free Deep Dark Secret by Sierra Dean

temporary thing, or maybe it wasn’t so obvious right now because I’d spent the night with him.
    I tried to remember if the lime flavor of my bond with Desmond was always apparent when I woke up with him. I thought so, but maybe I only assumed it was. But in spite of the warmth of my bond with Lucas, a queasy feeling churned in my gut.
    “Thank you,” I replied to his compliment. “It’s beautiful.”
    “I knew you’d like it.”
    “I do.” I hopped off the stool and saw my purse beside the kitchen door. Scooping it up, I stared at Dominick until he finally looked back. “Dominick was about to take me home.”
    Oblivious to my unease, Lucas took a sip of his water and nodded, a broad smile on his face when he turned to me. “I’ll give you a call later tonight.”
    “Okay.” I tugged Dominick off the stool and pulled him out the kitchen door.
     
    The whole way back to my apartment Dominick played dumb. Anything I asked he would reply, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” By the time he turned onto my block, I was ready to strangle him or cry with frustration.
    The moment we pulled up to my apartment, with Desmond’s Dodge Charger parked in front of my BMW Z4—another pricey gift from Lucas—it no longer mattered what Dominick was or wasn’t telling me. I just needed to know if I could still taste Desmond.
    I didn’t bother to say goodbye to Dominick, or to close any doors when I burst into the apartment. I dropped my bag on the ground and called out. My voice sounded strained and fearful, nothing like it usually did.
    Desmond poked his wet head out of the bathroom and came out, wrapping a towel around his waist. It wasn’t the view of his toned abs or his damp, glistening olive skin that made my heart leap. The tart, bright flavor of lime exploding in my mouth the moment I was close to him was what made me throw myself into his arms and hug him, never wanting to let him go.
    “Hey, hi.” He rubbed my back in comforting circles and held me close. “Good to see you too. It’s only been a night, you know.” Desmond ducked his head, giving me a smile meant to comfort, but it faltered when he saw my face. “What’s wrong?”
    “I don’t know. I was worried. When I woke up I couldn’t taste Lucas anymore, and I thought something in the bond was broken, but he was acting like everything was hunky-dory and I—”
    “Wait, wait, wait.” He released me and stepped back, holding his towel up with one hand. “What did you say?”
    “I was afraid something was broken?” I asked.
    “No, about Lucas.”
    “Oh. I couldn’t taste him when I woke up tonight.”
    Desmond’s focus darted to my neck, and his cheeks flushed. Feeling guilty but not knowing why, I covered the hickey with my hand and looked away. Desmond had known I was on a date with Lucas last night, and he knew the bond was the same for me and the wolf king as it was for me and him. He couldn’t be oblivious to the fact Lucas and I sometimes got a little physical. I did feel bad it was so in his face though.
    Why hadn’t the stupid thing healed?
    “Son of a bitch ,” Desmond growled, punching the wall next to the bathroom door so hard he broke through the drywall.
    I went rigid, afraid to move or breathe. I’d seen Desmond angry, but never like this, and never over such a stupid reason. When he pulled his hand out of the wall, it was coated in plaster dust and flecked with blood. I tried to reach out, wanting to make sure he wasn’t hurt too badly, but he jerked away.
    “No,” he snarled, holding his hand away from me. He took a few steps back, then pointed to the hall table where my cell phone was sitting. I’d forgotten it the night before, and the red message light was flashing. “Mercedes keeps calling.”
    His expression was an unsettling mixture of pain and rage, and he couldn’t look me in the eyes, too focused on my neck.
    “Desmond, I’m sorry, I—”
    “Just…just answer your phone and go,