My cheeks flushed, because I immediately thought about what Ren and I had done in that pool.
I was probably never going to be able to look at a pool the same again.
Reaching the end of the patio, I saw the path that led down to the beach. I toed my boots and socks off and then rolled up my pant legs. It didn’t take very long to make my way down the steep trail. I stopped, exhaling roughly as my toes sank into the cool sand.
The temps were chillier than I expected and it probably had to do with the Winter Prince being here, but the golden tipped waves and sand were still absolutely beautiful.
I walked out across the beach, nearing the lapping shoreline as I reached up and tugged my hair down, letting the wind sift through the curls.
The cool water teased my toes, and for a moment, I let my head empty of all the stresses, the worries, and the fears. I didn’t want to think about or feel anything other than what I was witnessing.
The water turned a fiery orange as the sun kissed the ocean. There was a moment where it looked like the world was about to be set ablaze, where the water and sky was a stunning array of reds and blues, and then the sun was gone, slipping far beyond where the eye could see.
The breath I took was shaky and the back of my eyes burned. I never thought I’d see the sun set on the Pacific Coast, and it was truly a sight.
I stepped back, making my way until I was sure the waves wouldn’t touch me, and then I sat down in the sand, mindful of the daggers still attached to my thighs.
I had no idea how much time had passed as I sat there, but stars blanketed the sky and it was so quiet, so peaceful with the only sound the crashing waves and distant traffic.
Tonight could go well. Daniel could believe us, and together we could find the Prince, hopefully stopping him before he got ahold of the Halfling, and then we would either kill Drake or send him back to the Otherworld. Or tonight could go extraordinarily bad. Ren and I could be walking into a trap, one that no matter how fast Kalen and Faye moved, they wouldn’t be able to stop.
But tonight had to happen.
A sharp swirl of tingles danced along the nape of my neck. I twisted at the waist, not surprised to see Ren’s tall form making his way across the sand.
“You should be resting.”
“I was.” He neared me. “For about fifteen minutes, and then I looked out the windows and saw you sitting out here.”
I’d forgotten there was a view from the bedroom. “Ren, we have a long night ahead of us. I got to sleep on and off on the road.”
“I know.” He sat behind me, spreading his legs on either side of me. Circling his arms around my waist, he pulled me back against his chest. “When I saw you out here, I thought to myself, I could leave her alone, but then I was like, I don’t want to.”
I laughed as I relaxed into his embrace.
Ren was quiet for a few moments. “It’s beautiful out here.”
“It is. You should’ve seen the sun set. It was . . . amazing.”
“Would you live out here?”
I started to respond like I would’ve a handful of months ago, but I realized that mine, that our, circumstances weren’t the same. “I really like New Orleans, but there’s something about this that’s just as good. I could live out here.”
“Me too,” he replied. “Then again, I’d be willing to live wherever you went, even if it was Alaska.”
“Really? Alaska?”
“Even Alaska.”
I laughed again. “You don’t have to worry about me ever picking Alaska.”
Ren kissed my cheek. “Thank God.”
My smile faded from my lips. “Are you nervous about tonight?”
“Be stupid not to be.”
“True.”
Ren was quiet for a very long time and then he said, “I know.”
My breath caught. Instinct told me what I needed to know without asking. He was talking about Kyle, and I didn’t know what to say. It wasn’t like I thought Ren would never find out, but I hoped I’d make it twenty-four hours before he did.
“I’m sorry,” I said finally. “I couldn’t let you do it. I couldn’t do it, but he could not live. He would come after you—”
“Don’t apologize.”
I started to turn in his embrace. “But I should, because I didn’t tell you. I should’ve—”’
“I know why you didn’t tell me.” His voice held a rough edge. “Wanting to leave him alive was foolish.”
“It wasn’t.” I drew in a shallow breath. “And it was. I mean, I get why you wanted to let him live. Maybe it would prove to the other members we hadn’t betrayed them, but he would’ve kept coming after us. He would get more of us killed.”
“You’re right. And it would’ve been me to put him down. That son of bitch would’ve made sure of it, because he knew—yeah, he knew it would get to me.”
“That’s why I couldn’t let that happen,” I admitted quietly.
He was silent for a moment. “You made sure that I didn’t . . . I didn’t have to carry his death on my shoulders. Thank you.” He curled a hand around my chin, tipping my head back. He kissed me. “Thank you, Sweetness.”
I really had no idea what to say to that. None whatsoever. But then Ren tightened his arms around me again and held me tight, blocking out the coolness in the air.
Right then and there, I sent a prayer up to whatever god or gods were listening that this meeting with Daniel went the way we needed it to and that it wasn’t a trap.
Because if it was, I didn’t plan on dying tonight. I didn’t plan on seeing Ren or Faye or Kalen die tonight. That meant we’d be doing the killing, and I didn’t want that either.
But I would if I had to.
Chapter 27
Ren and I arrived in the Gaslamp District of San Diego thirty minutes before we were scheduled to arrive so we could scope out the area. Faye and Kalen were also with us. We couldn’t see them, but we knew they were there. All of us were armed, but our weapons were well hidden.
I immediately understood why Daniel had picked this place. It was out in the open and teeming with people. The bar and restaurant-lined streets reminded me of the French Quarter.
“Would’ve been cool to check some of these places out,” I said, happy when I smelled charbroiled hamburgers and my stomach didn’t revolt.
Ren’s hand tightened around mine. “We should come back when this is all over. We could use a vacation.”
I smiled, liking the sound of that—the idea of making plans. It made me feel like there was a future to look forward to. I started to tell him that, but Ren spoke again.
“There.” He cursed under his breath as he pulled me to the side, out of the middle of the sidewalk. “Daniel is already here. And he’s not alone.”
“What?” I was not at all surprised that Daniel had done just what we had, which was to arrive early as an attempt to control the situation. I followed Ren’s gaze, and it took me a moment to find Daniel.
He was sitting in the center of a bench, his arms hooked around the back and his long legs stretched out, crossed at the ankles. To a stranger, he looked like a normal guy, out enjoying the cool night. Behind him was Miles Daily, the man in charge if Daniel was to go down.
My shoulders tightened. I never knew where I stood with Miles. He was older than me, maybe in his thirties, and completely unreadable.
“Can’t blame him for not coming alone,” Ren said. “And I doubt they are the only two here.”
I scanned the little park area, but just because I didn’t see any familiar faces didn’t mean that every person and every couple I saw wasn’t an Order member. They could have us surrounded by the dozens, and we wouldn’t know since we didn’t know any of the San Diego members.
Looking up at Ren, I squeezed his hand. “You ready?” I asked.
My gaze trained on where Daniel sat as he nodded. I stretched up and kissed his lips. “Let’s do this.”
Ren let go of my hand as we crossed the street. My heart was thumping in my chest. I doubted that they’d try something in such a public spot, but I’d been wrong before.