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”Its small talk and it irritates me,” I tell her honestly. ”What’s your shoe size, what’s your favourite colour, it’s all in the same well of questions and has nothing to do with anything.”

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I shut my eyes and let Nero’s memory overtake me. I see the torture, I see the pain, and I see when Nero loses themselves and falls in because they can’t do it anymore. By the end of the memory, I’m both angry and heartbroken.

Nero collapses into me, and I scoop them into my arms as I stand and walk over to the bed we’ve never slept in. I lay down, curling myself around them and kiss the top of Nero’s head.

”Es gibt nichts, wofür Sie sich entschuldigen müssten,” I whisper, rubbing their back in an attempt to try and comfort them.

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I beamed when Nic confirmed my inner thoughts. I released his hand, reaching out and touched the top of Nic’s ear. ”I missed you too.” I ran the tips of my fingers down the side of his face, tracing his jawline. I’m tempted to run my thumb over his bottom lip like he did to me yesterday, but I refrained. Instead, I pulled my hand back and reclaimed his.

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I snort, giving Avery an incredulous look. “Nothing to do with anything?” I repeat his words, shaking my head. “With your shoe size, I could get you shoes that you really like as a gift. If I wanted to decide between two items, knowing your favorite colour might help me choose. Little details help get to know someone and what makes them… them.”

I regard him with a look as I slowly realize. color=FFF79A]“You don’t want people to know you.” [/color] Elbow on the table, I rest my chin in my hand, leaning closer to this enigma of a man. color=FFF79A]“Why is that?”[/color]

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Now that Caden knows, I end up sobbing again, burying my face in his chest. “Liebst du mich noch?” Something jumps onto our curled bodies and I recognize that it’s Mika somehow. I hear small mews as she rubs her head into my back, almost in rhythm with Caden’s hands. Somehow it’s soothing, and I find myself start to relax the tension I’ve been holding in my body.

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I almost find myself leaning into her touch and closing my eyes, but I make sure I resist. Instead I just grin lopsidedly, happy that she missed me too. I turn onto a street, our destination not far now.

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I set my coffee cup back on the table, smirking at Kimiko. ”You want to buy me a present? Is it because I’m such a good trainer?” I ask, deflecting her question. Half a minute later, the waitress returns to take our orders and refill our coffee cups.

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My heart breaks when Nero asks me that. I hold them tightly. ”Natürlich liebe ich dich immer noch. Was ich für dich empfinde, lässt sich nicht so einfach abtun.” I shift back, tilting my head down to look at Nero. I cup their face in my hand, tilting their head up to meet my eyes. ”You were used and abused. What happened to you in Hell is not a reflection of you but a reflection of them, and where you were.”

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I focus my attention on the road ahead, trying not to think about how much I want to tell Nic just to turn around and hand off the fountain problem to someone else.

We stopped outside the location Mr. Scott asked to meet Nic. ”Do you remember what you told him yesterday about our backstory?”

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“You know, I would, but I don’t typically gift smartasses.” I retort just as the waitress comes back. I order the French toast with extra berries before I pick up my coffee with both hands and just observe Avery for a moment until the waitress leaves again.

I mirror the smirk he’s been giving me. “You can’t get mad at ‘small talk’ when you won’t let someone dig deeper.”

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I meet Caden’s eyes, almost afraid that this might be the last time, but firmly reminding myself that it’s not. Mika pushes her headd into my shoulder now as if trying to show me she agrees. “Dankeschön.” I whisper as my lip quivers again and my eyes fill once again with moisture. I move my hands to cup his face as well, staring deeply into his beautiful eyes.

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I put the SUV in park and nod. “I told him that this fountain is an heirloom in my family and that I got his info from the workers at the Hindu temple. I also let him know that the fountain was very valuable and had many rare jewels on it.” I look over at Cass.

“I even used one of those AI image generators to make it.” I pull it up on my phone, showing her that I got many ‘photos’ of the fake fountain.

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”If you think this is me mad, then you’re in for a real shock,” I declare. I add more creamers to my coffee and stir the liquid until it’s all mixed. The fact that Kimiko takes nothing in her coffee is surprising but says a lot about her, too.

I pick up my coffee cup and take another sip. My eyes shift up to watch Kimiko while I drink. ”In my experience, people always ask the wrong questions. I don’t have a problem with people wanting to get to know me. I have a problem with people who have to fill the silence with questions because they can’t stand the noise in their own heads.”

I learned way more about a person by just watching them than I ever did by asking them personal questions. Likewise, I learned more about a person when we spoke about nothing in particular.

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”Ich liebe dich, mein kleiner Kobold. Ich habe dich ausgewählt. Daran wird sich nichts ändern.” I stared into their eyes for another minute more before I closed the short distance and kissed them deeply.

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I looked at the picture Nic had made and smiled. ”That’s perfect, Nic. If he still shows interest in the gems, we can ask him about other gems he’s come across. Maybe we can even express interest in adding a gem like the Hindu temple’s fountain had to this fountain,” I said, brainstorming all the different ways we could get this stone back.

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I can’t help it anymore, I laugh outright at him. “Is that what you think I’m doing? Filling some void?” I lean on the table again to meet his eyes.

“So, how do you oh so magically figure out if someone wants to get to know you better and when they’re just placating you?” I figure he’s not going to give me an actual explanation - he’s made his mind up about me not even two seconds into meeting me. And to think I thought we were finally making progress.

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My eyes close and I kiss Caden back, still holding his face in my hands. I’m still scared - I don’t remember how I got away from Mundus or if he’s even still alive, but for now, I’m safe with Caden. I let myself be hopeful that Caden would also be stronger than the demon if he did show up again.

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”That’s a really good idea, Cass.” I tell her. “We’d need to give him a price range of how much we’re willing to pay that’ll meet what he’s planning to sell for. Did you happen to look up the monetary worth of the Hindu gem?”

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”Then what is it you're doing?” I set my cup down and lean on the table, matching Kimiko's body language.

I laugh and shake my head at her leaning away again. ”Placating? No. People always want something from me. I figure out if they are genuine or searching for something by watching them. You can learn more by watching someone than you can by asking questions and them giving you whatever answers you want to hear.”

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I kiss Nero for a little longer, watching to take the pain of the memory with me but I know I can't. I pull back from the kissing and hold them.

”Did you see how it ended? How you got away?” If this creature was the child of Lucifer and Lilith, and that obsessed with Nero, there wasn't much that would draw their attention away.

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I beam from Nick's praise. I tuck my hair back behind my ear and flip through my phone. ”That was a little more difficult. A smaller gem can go anywhere from five thousand to fifteen thousand depending on cut and clarity. The gem in the fountain was used for a specific purpose and therefore priceless. But, for greed, the size and the oval shape, I would hazard a guess of fifty thousand. Or more.” I look over at Nic. ”How important is this family fountain of yours?” I tease.

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Smirking, I raise an eyebrow at Avery. “So you want me to just stare at you and keep my mouth shut?” I challenge before I lean back in the booth again, watching him.

“I’m not looking for anything specific when I ask you questions - I don’t want to hear empty words that are just you telling me ‘what I want to hear’. I’m genuinely curious about you and want to know you more.”

Ears red, I turn my head to look out the window, away from Avery. “I just want to know you.” I say in a mumble.

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I shake my head, feeling hopeless. “I didn’t.” My lip quivers again as I try to remember, but my body twitches, cringing instead of pulling the memories out.

“We might need to ask Cass to unlock my memories.” I whisper to Caden. I’m terrified of what’s hiding, but I need to know. I search his eyes as if the answer is in them before I bury my face in Caden’s chest again and grasp his top in my hands. “Caden, I’m so scared.” I admit in a tiny voice, curling more into a ball and wishing I could just hide in his arms all day.

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Listening to her, I can’t help but admire her and the hard work she’s put into this case we’ve stumbled on. When she looks over at me, I grin lopsidedly. “Oh, very important.” I say with a serious nod.

“Some might even say this fountain is like family to me.” I wink. I’m glad I chose to wear some nicer clothes today - hopefully I come across as someone with money.

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Our food arrives just as Kimiko looks away from me. I smile and thank the waitress before I look back at Kimiko. I'm silent for a while. Partly to show her that silence isn't so bad, and isn't it nice not to talk all the time? And partly because I'm trying to figure out how to say this properly.

”Why do you actually want to get to know me? Is it just because I'm Caden's friend? Is it because you've never known a werewolf before so you want to know what it's like? Do you want to see how fast I lose control or if shifting actually causes me pain? Or if I can smell blood from miles away or fuck all night long?” I didn't mean to ask all these questions. I know I'm projecting my past onto Kimiko now, but I couldn't hold back. All my life I've been questioned. I was tired of being questioned.

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”Shh, Es ist alles in Ordnung, meine Liebe. We can talk to Cass when you're ready.” I continued to rub Nero's back, murmuring soothing words in German and Gaelic in an effort to get them to stop shaking and come back to me.

I hated this. I hated feeling helpless. I hated knowing I was making this worse for them. That I had unlocked something they wanted to uncover.

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I laugh and shake my head. ”Okay, I think we're ready to go then. Let's go get back a precious Hindu gem,” I said.

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I turn to smile at the waitress once she’s dropped off our food, happy to see all the berries on my plate and in a separate bowl. I start using my knife and fork to take a bite when Avery starts talking. I pause and watch him as he asks his questions. At first, I scoff at his guesses but as he finishes, I frown, honestly a little insulted. I stare at him for a moment, trying not to react out of anger with him for once. With a deep sigh, she shakes her head.

“I already told you that at first I wanted to get along with you because of Caden - he’s always spoken highly of you and Caden does not give praise lightly, you know this. Now, it’s genuine interest in getting to know you because I find you fascinating.” I hold up a hand to stop him in case he tries to interject here. “Not because I want to fuck you or explore how powerful you are either, just because I thought I might want to be friends with you.”

I push my hair out of my eyes and give Avery a cold look before I shake my head and start eating my food.

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I close my eyes and nod, just taking deep breaths in and out and letting Caden’s scent engulf me. I once again find myself thinking that I don’t deserve this man, he’s too good for someone like me. I start sobbing again, this time they’re more silent. I don’t know how long I had to deal with Mundus, but I feel like I’m letting go of years of torture and abuse through my tears.

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Chuckling, I grin at her and nod. “Yes, let’s.” I say before finishing off my raspberry tea and getting out of the car. I of course walk around and open Cass’ door for her, holding my hand out for her to use as she gets out of the car.

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I snort, rolling my eyes and ready to interject, when Kimiko cuts me off. I frown at her, watching her eat.

I looked down at my own plate, suddenly not feeling hungry. This woman was infuriating. Her words don't match her intentions and her intentions didn't match her words. I couldn't get a proper read on her and it was starting to piss me off.

I was always good at reading people and what they wanted. It was one of the reasons why I made a good bodyguard for Caden and his people; why he made me a driver. I saw and understood things that others didn't but Kimiko, she was a gods damn enigma. She wanted to get to know me just because? That didn't make any bloody sense.

I eventually cut into my ham, glaring at the piece of meat like it had personally offended me. I eat in silence, tired of conversation.

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I held Nero for as long as they allowed me to, encouraging them to let go, to cry it out, and reminding them they were safe now. Grief came in many different ways, and this was just one of those ways. I couldn't imagine Nero's pain, and the images they shared with me flashed through my mind. Every time I saw the child of Lucifer, my arms tightened on Nero and I could feel the fire inside me grow. It didn't get out of control like yesterday, but there was this understanding that if the creature still lived, the dragon and I would see an end to it. Then the visions would move and I would see Nero.

My hold on them would soften at these points and I'd start whispering words of praise and adoration in every language I knew in an effort to rewrite the words of pain and hatred no doubt etched into their very soul.

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I take Nic's hand and step out of the SUV. Part of me wants to stop and kiss him, but I can't. Part of me also feels like this man is trying to ruin me for anyone else. It's been a long time since I've been this doted on and paid attention to.

We walk up the front steps of the building and open the door to the business. I look around and feel a chill that isn't from an AC. Pictures are scattered on the walls of what I assume to be previous projects Mr Scott has restored. I came across the Hindu Temple fountain. Now that I know what I'm looking for, I can clearly see the gem in one but not the other.

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We spend the rest of the meal in silence, which is perfectly fine with me. I thought the two of us were finally making some progress, but I guess I was wrong. Once I finish my food and let the waitress know I don’t want any more of the coffee, I finally look over at Avery again.

“I can walk home or call a cab.” I offer, not really wanting to be in close proximity with him again. She would probably end up losing her clothes since she couldn’t carry them with her as a fox, but it’s okay. She can afford it.

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When I’ve finally calmed down, I slowly un curl from the fetal position I’ve been in and smile at Caden. I can’t believe how absolutely lucky I am. “Should I shower again? I probably smell after using that much power. It’s an attempt to ease the tension, but I also worry that I might actually smell like sulphur.

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I squeeze her hand a couple of times as we walk up to the building before I let go. A little bell goes off as we step inside. There’s photos showcasing projects the man has taken on. Someone comes out from a room tucked away behind a counter and greets us.

I step up to the counter. “My name is Wei Wu, I had called yesterday about a family heirloom that needed some renovation. I spoke to a Mr. Scott. Is he here/“ I ask, eying the man before me. He was of average height and somewhat fit body, but the sun damage and wrinkles on his skin gave away his age.

“That’s me. Glad you could make it.” He says.

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I don't finish all of my food, which is a major sign something is wrong. I sighed when Kimiko said she would find a different way home.

”If I let you do that, Caden would have my head,” I told her. As much as we might not want each other's company right now, there's no way around it.

I pull out my wallet and toss down a hundred dollar bill to pay for the thirty dollar meal.

”Let's just go.”

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I smile at Nero and the cats who come claim the space now between Nero and I.

”I'm a dragon. The smell of sulphur doesn't bother me,” I remind Nero. ”But if you want to shower, I understand. I can also run you a bath if you'd prefer a longer soak.”

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When I hear the person announce themselves as Mr Scott, I rejoin Nic. I hang off of his arm, smiling at Mr Scott.

”Thank you for seeing us on such short notice. We've been searching forever for someone to restore my Wei’s family piece, right baby?” I look up at Nic with big doe eyes, hoping he doesn't start laughing with how thickly I'm laying this on.

Mr Scott looks amused as he looks between the two. “Of course, always glad to help admirers of my work. Right this way,” he says and leads me and Nic to the back.

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I’m tempted to throw his money back at him and pay myself, but I settle for putting a $50 bill on top of his before I slide out of the booth. “Fine.” I say, heading for the door without waiting for him.

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I think of the bath Caden had set up the other night for me and nod, absentmindedly petting Mika, who’s nudged her way under my chin. “A bath sounds really nice.” I say tiredly, but still with a small smile.

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My lips curl up in a smile at Cass’ acting, but I try to pass it as a ‘stupid in love’ expression. “She’s right. My parents are looking to renew their vows and we simply must ave the fountain there. It’s tradition in my family.” I lean over and plant a kiss on her head.

“Plus, I want to have it ready for… other ceremonies soon.” I send a wink to Mr Scott before we follow him into the back. With his eyes off of us, I glance down at Cass and give a small smile of encouragement.

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I follow behind Kimiko, pulling my jacket and the keys out of my bag. I toss my cell phone and wallet inside before zipping it back up.

We remain silent while getting ready to ride back to Caden's. I slip between anger and defeat as I try to focus on the task at hand. I know why I'm angry, but I don't want to acknowledge it. Instead, I zip up my jacket and put on my helmet and wait for Kimiko to get on the bike. I don't bother giving her hand signals, my subtle revenge for the day.

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I nod and lean forward to kiss Nero's forehead. ”I'll come back when it's ready,” I said, getting off the bed and leaving the room.

I close the door behind me and take a moment in the hallway. I take a deep breath in and let it out. My eyes prick and I wipe the silent tears that started to fall away from my face before I walk into our bedroom to draw Nero a bath.

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I giggle like a stereotypical girl in love when Nic mentions other ceremonies. We follow Mr Scott and I keep the act going.

”The fountain thing is traditional but we're hoping to modernize it a bit. It's just so plain,” I explain, scrunching my nose up like the idea of plainness is a personal affront to me.

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I sigh loudly, not missing that Avery doesn’t show me hand signals like he said he would. I put my helmet on and climb onto the bike behind him. I wraps her my around him, my hands holding my own wrists. She says a silent prayer hoping he doesn’t speed on the way home.

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I close my eyes, listening to Mika and Luci purr as they cuddle me. I got the feeling that Mika has been waiting a long time for this moment and it gives me pause as I think about what Caden said about familiars. I open one eye to look at the fluffy white cat, her eyes mirroring my own in color. “Are you… my familiar?” Mika gives me a look but sits up to lick her paw an run it over her head. It’s not so much in words, but I recognize that she’s saying yes.

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I nod, patting one of her hands that’s on my arm. “My parents especially like the idea since they’re doing modern vows for their renewal. I think adding some pieces to it could really make it more eye catching.”

“Oh? What kind of pieces were you thinking to add?”

“Babe,” I say to Cass, playing that she’s the one in control of the design today.

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Once Kimiko’s arms wrap around my waist, I start the bike and back it up with my feet before accelerating forward slowly. I know she wants to go home, but I can’t. My energy is jittery, and I usually go for a long ride after breakfast.

Instead of turning right to return the way we came, I turned left. She’s already pissed at me, what’s a little more hatred and anger going to do?

I wait until we leave the town limits before I push the bike faster. The wind roars around us, the sound dampened by our helmets, but the speed is thrilling. I push the bike as fast as I dare with a passenger, easily taking curves in the road.

I first learned how to ride when I was twelve, starting with this old, rusted motorcycle I found and nursed back to life. I totaled the thing and broke my arm, but the next day, when my arm fully healed, I was hunting for another bike to ride. I’m fairly certain it was the first time I had fallen in love.

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I add bubbles to the bath before lighting a few candles for Nero. It’s the middle of the day, so light streams in through the bathroom windows, but the mood of relaxation is still present. I open the cabinets under the sink and search for the dehydrated lavender to add to the bath.

I shut the water off once the tub was full and laid out a towel for Nero before returning to their bedroom. I knock gently on the door before I poke my head in.

”It’s ready, my little imp.”

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”I love emeralds, but I also have my eye on yellow sapphire. It reminds me of the sun and would add a lovely touch to the fountain. The problem is I haven’t found anything large enough,” I say, frowning. ”Show him the pictures of the fountain,” I say, tugging on Nic’s arm.

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Despite my best efforts, I end up clinging even more to Avery, my legs almost shifting to wrap around his torso with my arms. My eyes are closed and I try my best to stop myself from digging the helmet into his back, even though he definitely deserves it. Once I’m brave enough, I peek one eye open and see that we’re not going the same way as we came. Is it a different route or is Avery kidnapping me? Even as I think he’s kidnapping me, I cling closer.

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I lift my head when the door opens and Caden peeks him. I smile goofily at him, feeling completely drained but happy to have him. I give Luci and Mika head kisses and scratches before I climb out of the bed and make my way over to Caden. “Thank you.” I whisper, wrapping my arms around him in a hug.

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I chuckle. ”Alright, my love.” I tell Cass as I pull out my phone. ”She’s eager, can you tell?” I say jokingly while looking at Mr Scott. I pass him my phone, already in the album with the fountain pictures.

“At the end of the album, I did some playing with photoshop to kind of give you a mockup.” I tell him. I had generated a photo that would look like the yellow sapphire was affixed to the fountain at its center.

Mr Scott looks between me and Cass before looking at my phone again. “What’s your budget for this?” He asks.

“Oh, we were thinking somewhere around fifty thousand? If that’s not enough, we can ask my parents for more.” I tell him, trying to pretend like I’m a son of Caden’s - someone who comes from a lot of money and doesn’t know what to do with it.

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Kimiko clings tightly to me as I drive around corners and weave around cars when they show up. My fingers twitch on the handlebars, wanting to comfort Kimiko, but I withhold myself. Maybe she’ll forgive me when she sees where I’m taking her. Perhaps I’ll be able to apologize for being an ass.

The drive was mostly quiet, which was why I usually picked this road to travel on. The views were the more obvious reason. We drove past flat landscapes, past walls of trees, towns, and rolling hills. I start to slow up to turn off the main road. We head up a hill and down a road that curves with the landscape. Eventually, the space opens up again, and I pull over to the side of the road. Before us is a vast, open landscape with hoodoos and unique rock outcroppings. I shut the bike off, and the sound of birds and insects fills the space around us. I take my helmet and gloves off, taking in the space around us.

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In return, I wrapped my arms around Nero and picked them up off the ground. I let them dangle there for half a minute before scooping them into my arms properly. ”You are most welcome,” I said, and carried them back into our room and the bathroom.

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I nod eagerly. ”Cost isn’t an issue. This piece is going to be in the family for a long time. It has to be perfect,” I declare.

Mr Scott smiles at us, looking back at the pictures and nods. “I think I might be able to help you. I came across a yellow sapphire a little while ago. It is a rather large piece, and I haven’t found the right piece for it yet, but I think your project might be perfect.”

I gasp, covering my face with my hands, and look at Nic excitedly. ”Oh, this is wonderful!”

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When I know longer hear and feel the vibrations of the motorcycle, I open my eyes and look around. For a moment I forget I’m clinging to Avery’s back like some kind of spider monkey and just stare at the view. We definitely didn’t go back to Caden’s, but this area was beautiful and serene. Finally coming to my senses, I unwrap myself from Avery and take my helmet off.

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A short and soft giggle escapes me when Caden dangles me for a moment before actually picking me up. I curl into Caden, pressing my ear against his chest to listen to his heartbeat and closing my eyes for the short trip to our bathroom. Once near the tub, I hop down from Caden’s arms and discard my clothes almost immediately before I step up to the tub and climb in. The soft scent of lavender fills my senses and I close my eyes, immediately relaxing.

After a minute or two, I peek open one eye to glance at Caden. “Did you want to join?” I ask him.

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I nod, smiling at Cass. “Only the best for my little tomato.” I know I probably shouldn’t throw the actual nickname I have for her around during this, but I do mean it. I want to give her only the best.

When Scott mentions that he might have something that’ll work, I beam down at Cass. “I told you I had a good feeling about this guy.” I coo to her before turning to the contractor. “Can we see it?”

“I see your girlfriend isn’t the only eager one.” He says with a chuckle and a smirk. “I don’t have it on me right now, but we can arrange a time and place for me to look at your fountain and bring the gem.”

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