Aeternum (Vincula Realm, #2)

by Jamie Applegate Hunter

“I’m Bruce. I hope we’ve met before.”

“Where do you live?” His breath against her ear made her shiver again. “Not close enough to you.”

“What if I don’t want to let go?” she whispered. “What if I left someone in the past I was supposed to bring with me to the present?” His golden gaze met hers again. “What if they purposefully pushed you into a future without them?”

Reaching out a hand, he tenderly ran his thumb across her bottom lip. “I am a man who dreams of you, even if you don’t dream of me, and when you forget me and move on with your life, I will dream of you still.” He dropped his arm and backed away with a resigned expression.

“Lauren,” he called out as she closed the door behind her. The door swung back open, and she poked her head in. “Yeah?” “Record her laughing for me.” Emotion passed over her face, followed by a smile. “I’ll tickle her if I have to.”

“I can’t believe I’m trusting someone who is heir to a made-up kingdom, but okay.” Without looking at him, she grabbed her cart and wheeled it toward the door. “If I die, I’ll kill you.” He’d never smiled so big in his entire life.

“It’s ‘in one basket,’” Caius told him. “Not a picnic basket.” Sam threw the chocolate wrapper into a trashcan as they approached the palace gates. “Does the size of the basket matter?”

“You remember me?” Rory asked weakly, choking down another sob. “You’re a terrible gardener.” He smiled, and she saw a single tear trail down his face.

He covered his mouth with his hand and pushed down his swelling emotions. She was happy. When he swiped the video, a picture of her smiling with her friends stared back at him. Swipe. Her in a hair salon with a small woman behind her, beaming at the camera. Swipe. Rory sitting on the couch with her father. Swipe. Swipe. Swipe. He set the phone down, and the first tear fell. The number of times Caius cried in his life could be counted on one hand, but seeing her, living her life and happy, broke him. It was everything he wanted for her, and if she weren’t in danger, he would live his life in misery if it meant she stayed that way.

When she returned, she sat across from him and put her mug down. “Just rip the bandage off.” His body went rigid, and he shot to his feet, rounding the coffee table between them. “Where are you hurt?” he asked as he lifted her arms to examine them. She pawed at his hands and pushed him away. “Will you sit down? It’s a saying.”

She lifted his arm, ducked under so it was draped across her shoulders, and leaned in while holding out her phone. “Smile!” He scowled down at her, and she snapped a picture. “Try looking at the camera this time.” His mouth never moved as he glared at the camera. She sighed. “Good enough.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and pulled up the camera app. “One more.” Her heart leaped with affection. He was having a good time, she thought and leaned in with a big smile. Once the picture was taken, he hastily stuffed his phone in his pocket.

She pulled back, and he mimicked her grip, walked to the lane, and threw it underhand. It arched high and landed with a loud thud, drawing the attention of those around them. The three of them watched the ball inch its way to the gutter and disappear through the back.

“May I say goodbye?” he asked in a broken voice, unable to look his father in the eye. His father’s power receded, and Sam stood with his mate in his arms to say goodbye to the only true friends he’d ever known.