“No thank you. Please, just leave my things in the hallway here. Seeing as this is the only condo on this floor, my things should be okay for a little while. I have a phone call to make, and it's important that I’m not interrupted. Thanks again.” She stepped into the vestibule, reaching for a tip.
“Thank you, but please, no tips. This is your home now.” He waved as the elevator doors silently closed.
Finally alone, she blew out a deep breath. My God, this place was unbelievable. She could hardly wait to see the view of the river. Not knowing what floor she was on, she sensed she was up fairly high, given the amount of time on the elevator. She steadied the key, slid it into the lock and quickly opened the deadlock. Secure door, very nice.
As Sydney clasped her palm around the door handle, she felt it. A warm, tingly sensation ran up her spine. He was here. Kade. What was he doing here? After everything she’d been through in the past week, she trusted her instincts enough to know that Kade was behind this door. Taking a deep breath, she tried desperately to gather her thoughts. What would she say to him? Take it easy Sydney...apologize...just pretend he is on the end of the phone like you were planning. But, he wasn’t on the phone in New Orleans. No, he was truly here in Philadelphia. In Tristan’s condo. Shit. Shit. Shit. Breathe, Sydney, breathe. Feeling as if she could use an oxygen mask, she sucked in a deep breath, turned the handle and pushed the door open.
Across the great room, Kade gazed at the river, the muscular frame of his silhouette darkly carved against the incandescent moonlight. Sydney’s soul wrenched begging her to go to him so she could lose herself in his embrace, but he was a dark, lethal predator who she'd wounded. She didn’t have the courage to seek what she needed from him. No, she would approach him cautiously, thoughtfully. She needed to make things right with him.
“Kade, I’m sorry.” He said nothing. She looked around the condo, investigating her surroundings. The incredible, open space led to a large balcony. The cathedral ceiling held sunlights that allowed the moonlight to illuminate the entire room. Glancing into the kitchen, she spied black, pearly granite countertops and stainless steel appliances that reflected off each other sparkling in the light. As she crept slowly toward Kade, she noticed the condo was completely void of furniture, save for patio furniture on the enormous, outdoor terrace. A stray thought passed through her mind as she wondered why Tristan would send her to an unfurnished property. Oh well, a minor issue compared to the menacing, aggravated vampire standing in front of her.
Sydney intrepidly approached Kade, her heels clicking softly on the hardwood floors. Attraction did not begin to describe the intense desire that grew in her belly.
Kade silently waited as she came to him, sensing his prey ever closer. He could smell her desire. He fought the urge to ravage her right there on the floor, burying himself within her hot depths. But he needed to teach this stubborn, sexy woman a lesson she would not soon forget. She ran from him, not willing to discuss her emotions, her fears, or their life together. Not acceptable. No, she needed to learn that without a doubt they belonged together...forever. And that he loved her more than life itself, and was willing to do anything to keep her in his life.
Sydney extended her fingertips, letting them graze the hard planes of his back. “Kade, please. What are you doing here? How did you get in this house?”
Not looking back at her, he took a deep breath. “Ah, Sydney love, I am here...because this home is my home...our home.” He pivoted around, pulling her toward him settling her body so that she also faced the river. Grasping her hands, he rested them on the cool terrace railing. The view of the river was magnificent. Lights sparkled from the boats in the night and twinkled from the bridge spanning across the rushing water.
Sydney did not know what he meant. His home? Our home? This was Tristan’s house. He sent her the key. She asked him to stay here. Tristan must have ratted her out. Tricky wolf. “What do you mean our home? This is Tristan’s condo. He's letting me stay here. Did Tristan tell you I was here?” she asked.
Snaking his hand around her waist, he pulled her into him so that their sides pressed against each other. At his demanding touch, Sydney felt electric sparks run all over her body. It seemed as if every sensual cell in her body stood wide awake, ready to engage with him. She shivered under his fingers.
Smiling at her response, Kade continued making his point. “Precisely what I meant Sydney. This is our home. I bought this property last night after you so very cleverly left New Orleans.” He turned her body so it was flush with his, hip to hip, their lips were mere inches apart. She did not attempt to move away from him, allowing Kade to hold her tightly in his warm, muscular arms. His blue eyes pierced down into her soul as his lips tightened somberly. “You see Sydney; you did not seem to quite understand what I meant when I said you are mine. I thought we established things in my office that fine day, but it appears you need another lesson.”
Oh shit. Guilty there. Okay, here it comes. She knew it wouldn’t be that easy. He was pissed. “Kade, I...I...I,” she stammered, her words caught in her throat.
He lifted a finger to her lips, silencing her excuses. “Don’t say a word, not one word. It is my turn to talk, your turn to listen.” This couldn’t be good. “I want to be clear...so very clear...that you never misunderstand me again, Sydney. You are mine, I am yours. We are bonded. I love you Sydney, not just this minute, not just today, not just this year, I love you forever. This means the next time you get upset or confused, you do not run out on me. Never again will you do that, understand? We, us...we work on things together from here on out. You lean on me. You share with me. We are one together, no longer on our own. Together and always we shall figure out this world.”
“Now, before you say anything or even attempt to protest, I am going to tell you how this is going to work. Since you left me in New Orleans...instead of working together on answers to how we would make our relationship work, I took it upon myself to figure that out for us.”
What the hell? No, he did not just say that. “But Kade,” Sydney protested still trying to capture control over the situation. Something she was failing at miserably at the moment.
Kade jerked her closer into his body, silencing her protest, grinding the hardness of his maleness into her belly. He leaned in close almost touching her lips with his. “Shhhh. You really have trouble listening, don’t you, woman?”
A small giggle escaped Sydney’s lips, releasing a nervous energy. What did he do? What decisions did he make? I can’t think straight with his lips so close to mine, just kiss me already.
Dominating her space further, he parted her legs with his thigh. He wanted to take her right there and fuck her senseless, but first he needed her to accept their future as it would be. “First, your career. I would never ask you to give up your career. You’ve worked hard to get where you are, and I will support you in whatever you decide. That being said, I will not let you rush foolishly into supernatural cases again...at least not without me. I took the liberty of speaking with the powers that be, and your police department has graciously agreed to lend you to my security forces as a consultant whenever I see fit. Therefore, you can work here in Philadelphia for months at a time, should you choose to do so, and then we can go back to New Orleans and work down there for however long we need to remain. Your city is close to New York, and I frequently have business there, so this location is advantageous for me as well. We will live in both locations.”