Adam shook his head. “Unreasonable.”
Since Segue and The Order would be working together a lot, Custo figured he’d be hearing that same complaint from Adam often.
Adam lifted his eyes just as there was a soft rap at the door.
Custo turned to see Annabella. She had her enormous dance bag over a shoulder, her dark hair pulled severely back into a tight ponytail. Her eyes were fairy-tale big and bright.
“Rehearsal starts in an hour,” she said with a token “sorry” wince.
Custo knew the expression was fake. She wasn’t sorry. She wanted to go right now. The light was shining in her eyes; she wanted to dance.
“You coming back here tonight?” Adam asked.
Annabella darted a look to Custo. He guessed that meant, No. We’ll find a place in the city.
A nice hotel, with all the luxuries. After the last couple of days they more than deserved it. Later he’d have to scout out some place for them to live. A comfortable, but secure apartment not too far from The Order’s new headquarters and her ballet company. When Luca had mentioned living discreetly among humankind, Custo didn’t think he meant living with a human woman. But then, Custo had never lived by anyone’s rules before. He wasn’t about to start now.
Custo stood. He didn’t have the words for everything he wanted to say to Adam. For being there most of his life. Saving his ass over and over. “It’s been…”
Adam cleared his voice. “Yeah. It’s been.”
They clasped hands over the desk and held. Custo’s chest tightened uncomfortably. He would still be seeing Adam regularly, but this was good-bye.
Outside the office, Custo dropped his arm on Annabella’s shoulders while they walked down the long hallway. She squeezed him around his waist. Perfect fit. He moved away from his past and headed toward his future.
“So…” Annabella began.
Custo hit the elevator button to take them to the exit level. The drive would take an hour into the city. He’d drop her off at rehearsal, then hit the Annex building to tell Luca how the renovation should be done. Whoever dictated the construction of the tower had relied on the angels’ ability to mask the place from humankind’s perceptions. These were dangerous times; the Annex building’s security needed to go beyond illusion. And, of course, their policy against modern weapons needed to be challenged. If the wraiths were armed, The Order needed to be as well.
“Custo! You’re not listening to me.”
He kissed Annabella’s head. “Sorry. You were saying…”
She made a face, then said, “You know in the Shadowlands…”
“Yes, I’m familiar.” And growing more so.
Annabella shot him a cool, narrow-lidded glance.
Okay, she wasn’t kidding.
She bit her lip, taking a deep breath. “Do you remember when you said, ‘Make an honest man of me’?”
Custo groaned inwardly. She was quoting him again. “Yeah?”
“Well…did you mean it?”
He frowned. What was she getting at? She had a cute worry line forming between her eyebrows, which he smoothed away with his thumb. She had nothing to worry about but her performance. He’d take care of everything else.
“Of course I did,” he answered. Annabella was the best thing that had ever happened to him. The truest. Recent events proved that.
“What I mean is…”
Custo sighed. This would be so much easier if she’d let him read her mind.
“Well…” She blinked rapidly, but he caught the shine of tears.
Oh. She wanted the happily-ever-after. Marriage, a home, and little babies like Adam and Talia were going to have. In his head, he was already married. She was it for him, and no piece of paper would make that more or less true. And the home? Would have to be centrally located. But, yes, every night he was remotely able would be spent in bed with her. Could he even have children? He had no idea. Good thing he believed in miracles.
Annabella was wringing her hands, still hedging around what she wanted to say. “The phrase is usually associated with ‘til death do us part kind of scenarios.”
Scenarios? Custo almost laughed aloud. He gathered her in his arms, fitting her into the Annabella-shaped spot against his body. She was soft and smelled fresh from her shower. He’d fight for the rest of her…scenario, but of one thing he was absolutely certain.
“Death can’t part us.”