Nikki Duncan's Blog - Posts Tagged "excerpt"

Taste Me Deadly

"You belong here, even if you prefer not to share a room with me.” Offering no other explanations he pivoted on the ball of his left foot and walked away.

Heart heavy, Grey went into her room. Her doubts followed.

Unlike the downstairs that started with pale palettes, the bedroom was brilliantly bright. The walls were teal green, but one had been painted with fat lines in a slightly darker teal. Baseboards and crown molding as glossy and smooth looking as white chocolate added elegance the space didn’t really need.

The bed frame, tables and dresser were the same color as the molding, but the bedding, seating area chairs and decorations pulled in shades of teal with touches of pink. On the floor at the end of the bed sat her brown bag with its slight tear at one corner.

Standing in a bedroom that could fit her entire apartment, Grey was surrounded by perfection and wealth. Liam was going out of his way to welcome her. He’d offered protection, privacy, comfort and no pressure in regards to sleeping together. She should be grateful, and she was, but every gesture was shadowed by reality.

Fed or not, married or not, Liam did not need to take on her problems.

She’d promised not to leave in the middle of the night, and she’d meant it. She’d thought she would stay, but looking at the clock, seeing that it was nearing midnight, she knew differently. Hands cold and shaking, she wrapped her fingers around the handle of her bag.

She was out the door and down the stairs before his earlier words smacked her back a step. Let’s not pretend you haven’t mastered your disappearance act.

Grey spun, expecting to see him descending the stairs. He wasn’t there. Shaking off the idea of being watched, she turned for the front door. She turned the first deadbolt. Her fingers were on the second.

“Unless you’re leaving Ruby again, too, I’ll track you down in a few hours.”

She’d never been easily startled or prone to screams, not even when she was moments from being discovered by Karl Jessup, but she felt one rising. Closing her eyes, Grey froze, unable to face Liam. “I can’t be here.”

His fingers encased hers on the bag. She flinched. Where had he come from and how did he move so soundlessly given his size?

She wouldn’t ask any more than he’d answer if she did. “Why, Grey? Why can’t you be here? Why do you keep running?”

He took her bag and without its weight in her hand she lost the resolve she’d barely been gripping.

“Your world is too different from mine." She hated the squeak in her voice, but she went on. "My apartment can fit in that bedroom.”

He relocked the door and then, taking her hand in his, led her back to the stairs. They were at the top landing before he finally spoke. “You’re judging the book cover. This is just a house chosen because it’s big enough to accommodate my family without us tripping over each other when they visit.”

“Ruby’s my only family.”

“It doesn’t have to be that way.” He led her past the teal room, past a few other doors and around the corner he’d turned earlier.

He was going to his room. She tugged at her hand but he didn’t grant the freedom she sought. She’d made a promise and decided to break it in a span of five minutes. He had as much reason to trust her as Thor did Loki.