They Rise at Dusk (Book #1) ✔️

Chapter 29: Floating Weightless

My entire world narrowed to the message.

"Smug motherfucker." I murmured, my voice shaky.

Downing the fifth glass of whiskey, I got up, grabbed my purse, and tried not to stumble on my way down the stairs. A strange sense of weightlessness dragged me down, each step lighter than the last, and each heartbeat louder than the last.

I would see my family.

Stand in front of them.

Be judged by all of my peers and their families.

Bow.

I would have to bow.

I pushed the door to the building open and stopped as soon as I noticed the limo. Dorian stood leaned against it, his legs casually crossed, wearing a two-piece black suit and a simple gold bow tie around his neck. It contrasted heavily the silver of his hair and the dark blue of his eye, but it suited him. God, it suited him.

For a split second, his eyes were on me, but he looked away too quickly to discern the expression.

He opened the door for me without a word.

"Good evening to you too." I murmured as I pulled up my hem and tried not to step on my dress while entering the limo.

Dorian closed the door behind me and walked to the other side.

My palms were sweaty around the Fendi purse, and my heart thumped in my chest as I took in my surroundings. Leather seats, gorgeous dim lighting, champagne bottles lined up in the fridge. The smell of citrus and leather and luxury filled the air.

"Let's hope there's no traffic." I murmured once Dorian entered the car.

He said nothing.

I scoffed, hoping to mask my nervousness with annoyance, "You could at least pretend to be glad to see me, you made me come."

There was anger in his voice, contempt, "Când te văd, nu pot respira."

"Fine, I'm sorry. You don't have to throw curses at me." I mumbled. "I shouldn't have made you wait till 10PM to say I'm going."

Dorian's shoulders relaxed, "I knew you'd wait till the very last second."

"You're being awfully agreeable." I glanced at him and the silver strand falling over his eyes. "It's creeping me out."

Dorian met my gaze, and it felt as if the limo had suddenly shrunk and turned claustrophobic. Jax was right, there's been unfinished business between us and I tried hard to avoid it. I didn't dare to talk about it, address it, remember it.

Dorian reached behind him and pulled out a light leather Bvlgari box. Despite my annoyance at myself, a smile still crept to my lips. Not because of another gift, but because I knew he would never forget jewellery.

"I figured you were too much of a metrosexual to forget accessories." I chuckled and let him put the box in my head.

I opened the lid and my smile turned upside down.

Tiny gold earrings stood proudly above the thin gold necklace. And the necklace held an oval red pedant - simple, elegant, yet somehow antique and mysterious. And dangerous.

He gave me a blood ruby.

My heartbeat soared with sudden panic, and the limo space turned even more claustrophobic. I centered my gaze on Dorian.

"This is a blood ruby." A whisper left my lips.

Dorian nodded, "With your name on it."

Confusion settled into fear, and a twinge of surprise and disappointment. Despite all our threats and fights, I never thought Dorian would actually-