HEELLLO Traveler fans! Here it is, the last chapter. THEN for ALL you KELLAN fans, book 3. Promise you'll see lots more of him right from the start. I'll post a preview of the next book here for you when it's ready. Stay tuned!
I had no idea how to respond to the bombshell he just dropped. It was as if every thought I ever had emptied onto the ground in front of me and I couldn't unscramble words fast enough to form a sentence. I stood there with my mouth hanging open, looking like an idiot.
"I..." my voice trailed off and I rubbed the back of my neck.
Run a kingdom? How do I do that? Hell, most mornings I stumbled over the junk on my floor attempting to make it to school on time. Organizing stuff wasn't my thing. My arms prickled, and I stared at my feet trying to rein in my panic.
"Wren?" Jaxon brushed the top of my hand with his fingers. "Say something."
I'd given him every reason to run away cursing me into the next century, and he'd stood by me through everything. A wave of guilt stuck in my throat making me choke on my thoughts.
"Why would you do this?" my voice cracked. "Aren't you afraid of your father? 'Cause he gonna freak out when he sees this." I pointed to my leg.
"Afraid of him?" He took a step closer and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. "Nah."
I searched his gaze for a twinge of doubt—nothing. He believed what he said with an absolute resolve.
"There's only one thing that scares me." He licked his lips and dipped his head. "And it isn't him."
"Oh—?" I crammed my hands in my small pockets. "What's that?"
"You." He gave me a half smile.
"Me?"
He had to be joking. Jaxon's dad had tortured my family, killed my aunt, and crispified my face. Yeah, he was a real sweetheart in comparison to me.
"Afraid of me?" I scrunched my brows together trying to fathom why I scared him. I wasn't capable of any of the horrors Otis had done. "Why? I'm not going to hurt you."
"You're not?" He glanced up at me beneath his lashes.
His face crinkled, and he raised a brow in soft question. With the silence hanging between us, it dawned on me what he meant. I am an idiot. Of course, he's dying to know how I felt about him. It was one thing to win the bet, but I guess he understood he hadn't won me over yet.
I licked my lips. "Jax, I've never wanted to hurt you."
And that was the truth, but it didn't answer the question he silently asked, and I knew it.
He slowly shook his head, and a breeze caught his hair mussing it up. "I get it, but that's not what I'd like to know."
I glanced out over the valley. From this viewpoint, I could see for miles beyond the borders of the guild, and one thing was obvious—Kellan was nowhere in sight.
"Hey," Jax said, directing my chin with his fingers back his way. "He's not here—I am."
He pressed his lips together. "I don't know what to do." His eyes glowed a soft green, and the stones around his neck flashed on and off. "God, I wish you'd just tell me, and I'd do it."
He ran a jerky hand through his hair, paced a circular turn, then halted in front of me. "I've faced the fire circle guards, stopped the fire in the library, helped rescue your mom, stood up to my father... I did that—not Kellan." He pointed to the expanse of forest and sky.
"I know," I mumbled averting my tearful gaze to my beat up runners. Without him, I probably wouldn't be alive.
"A knotted ring," he said, brushing my collar aside enough to expose the mark.
When his fingers caressed my skin, the ring thrashed against him. Jaxon yelped and yanked his hand away holding it tight in his other hand.
He glanced at the cuts and pursed his lips. Blood dripped from his fingers onto the ground.
"Son of a..." He started to curse. Jax dragged his t-shirt over his head and held the fabric against his bleeding fingers. He lifted the cloth and tilted his head peeking underneath it.
"That's from touching me?" I stared at the bone deep gashes.
"Not you, his ring." Jax wrapped an edge of the cotton fabric around the cuts staining his shirt red. "The same would happen to Kellan if he touched my spiral flame on you."
He struggled with the bulky shirt, too big to be a bandage he could properly tie off and stop the gushing blood.
"Here." I cupped his hand in mine and unwound the fabric.
I found a seam and gave it a hard tug. The stitching tore down the side, and I kept tearing the fabric until I had a square piece. After wiping the blood from his hands with the larger cloth, I wound the piece I'd torn free around his fingers and tied it off.
"Why?" I said, not lifting my gaze from his hand. "I'm a mess. You can't even touch me. Why would you want that?"
He gathered the rag I'd tossed over my shoulder in his hand and wiped his blood from my palm. Jax tossed the cloth aside and hooked his fingers in my belt loops and dragged me closer to him.
"Why?" He smiled. "That's easy."
His bare chest and rippling abs pressed against me. God, he was hot.
I adjusted my shirt so the ring wouldn't touch him. "I don't want to hurt you."
"Then don't," he whispered in my ear.
He combed his hand through my hair and kissed the side of my neck, making my skin tingle. His hand slid over mine, and he dragged my palm over his bare skin until my hand rested on his chest. His sweep roared beneath my palm, and even my bones yearned for him. Everything he felt swept through me.
His essence swirled, coaxing my flames to join his. Spiraling up my leg, his ring flared and prickled my skin.
You are my match, he voiced in my head. By the Circle, I love you for everything you are, and everything you're not. My soul aches when we're apart, and sings when you're near. He let out a soft breath against my neck, and my skin flushed with heat. There's nothing I wouldn't do, or give up to have you with me.
I rested my forehead on his chest. But you can't even touch me.
Carefully avoiding the burn on my cheek, he placed his hands on the sides of my face and guided my mouth to his. With each lap of his tongue, he stoked the flames higher within me. His kiss scorched my lips and consumed my breath.
I dragged my hand up the back of his neck and pulled him closer, deepening our kiss. He moaned, brushing his tongue against mine. The heat between us soared hotter, exposing his feelings for me through our connection. When he pulled away, I knew he loved me.
He exhaled slowly. "I don't think touching you will be a problem." He chuckled. "I think the bigger problem might be not touching you."
I panted for breath and plucked my sweaty shirt from my skin, wafting it back and forth trying to cool off. My pant leg, singed from the spiral flame, had a pattern of tiny holes burnt through showing off Jaxon's ring.
If he kissed me like that every time our lips met, I might never come up for air. The connection between us was undeniable. I tilted my head and wondered what it'd be like to date him, without all the pressure of marriage and kingdom stuff.
I dragged my gaze over his bare, muscular body. When our eyes met, his eyes gleamed and the corners of his lips turned up. My cheeks warmed, knowing he'd caught me checking him out.
"All right, I admit it. There's something between us."
"Uh-huh. And..." He smirked like he was enjoying every second of my confession.
I sighed, and my shoulders slumped. "You're kind of hot..."
"Kind of?" He rubbed his hands over his stomach. "With abs like these, and my good looks? You know I'm hot."
"Don't push it." I gave him a nudge. "You have yet to even finish one date with me."
"Ouch. That stings." He scoffed, and his hand thudded against his chest. "I just traveled halfway across the galaxy for that privilege."
That's mostly true. "To be fair, I think you were looking for a little more than one date."
He took my hand and kissed the top of it. "So what if I was?" He placed his hand next to his mouth as if letting me in on a secret. "Can't blame a guy for following his heart, can you?"
He was super sweet and charming in his own awkward way. But that still didn't solve my reservation of running a kingdom or having to return to the Fire Circle.
You're worried about facing my father, aren't you?
Come on, that sounds like fun. My heart pounded at the thought and let out a nervous laugh. Seeing your psychotic father again isn't on my bucket list. Not to mention, I'm sure he'll love the watery knotted accessory.
I washed my hand over my chest, tossing my hair over my shoulder, showing off Kellan's frosty mark. If that doesn't thrill him, I'm sure breaking my mother out of his dungeon will make him overjoyed to see me again.
Nope, I'm not worried. I'm freaking terrified.
Don't be. Jaxon clasped his hands behind my lower back. My father is power hungry and you being the only person I know that's beaten him? He's going to be a little more than intrigued about you. Jax tapped his finger on my nose. Those invitations were his way of saying you passed his approval test.
"I didn't do that by myself. I had loads of help."
"I know." Jax weaved his fingers with mine. We did it together. A partnership is a foreign concept to my dad, just ask my mom.
Jax wrapped arms around me and rested his chin on my head. His spicy scent soothed me, and made me feel safe, tucked close to his body. He brushed his hand over my hair, and I snuggled my cheek against his chest.
"It's different now. Otis will have to listen to you." Jax kissed the top of my head. "Nothing bad's going to happen, promise."
I was different all right—a big fat mess. When his father found out how big, he'd demand both Jaxon's and my heads. "Your father doesn't listen to anyone."
"Except maybe the council. He has to report to them, and with my spiral ring on you?" He hugged me tighter. "The council will hear you, you'll see."
"Okay, let's say they don't kill me. Which is still a serious possibility by the way."
"There's no way they're that stupid." He rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "We're partners, trust me the council won't touch you."
"I'm glad you sound sure." I wiped a lock of hair from my eyes. "Even if that is the case, I don't know anything about the fire circle or running a kingdom."
"You have me." He pulled away enough for me to see his broad smile. "You don't need to know anything. We're in this together, remember?"
No pressure or anything. "You don't give up, do you?"
"When it comes to us? Nope. Besides, all I'm asking for is a chance to make you happy."
I fidgeted with my necklace. Maybe Kellan had changed his mind... I resisted the urge to search the landscape again for him, Jaxon deserved better than that. He'd done so much to protect my family and I loved him for that.
The guild's gates loomed beside us, and I ran my hand down one of its iron rails. With the contract between us, I'm not sure I could say no. His father, had all the contingencies in place to make sure I wouldn't.
"There's nothing I can do about the contract," Jax said, answering my thoughts. "I don't have the authority..."
His shoulders sagged, and he frowned slightly. "Is it too much to hope you'd try to make it work?"
I could almost hear his heart breaking. I had to be the worst fiancé ever.
"No, it's not." I squeezed his hand, stood up on tiptoe and kissed his cheek.
"You're sure?" His eyes widened.
I smirked. "Only if you are."
"You're saying yes?"
My cheeks burned from smiling at his excitement. I bit my lip and nodded.
Jax tipped his head toward the sky, closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then let it out.
When he opened his eyes, he hollered at the top of his lungs, "She said yes!"
I smiled and chuckled at his excitement.
He scooped me under my arms and spun me around in circles, laughing wildly. When we stopped turning, he kissed my forehead and hugged me tight to his chest.
"It's not going to be easy," he whispered.
"I know." I interlaced my fingers with his. "We'll just have to face what happens together."
He smiled and squeezed my hand. "Together."
I look forward to hearing your comments. DON'T distress the series isn't done. I'll post a sneak peek of the next book here with a link shortly. THANKS for your VOTES and COMMENTS! I'll see you when Wren continues her travels into the next book. :)