“Yes. I’ll bring Levi.”

“Good. I need to get to know him better.”

I leaned over and hugged her. “I love you, Mom.”

“I love you too.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

“Al?” Levi answered the door, evidently surprised to see me on the other side.

I took advantage of his surprise, launching myself at him. I wrapped my arms around his waist and leaned my head on his chest.

“Is everyone okay? What’s going on?”

I looked up into the blue-gray eyes that had me at first glance. “I love you, Levi.”

He grinned. “I love you too, Al.”

I leaned up to kiss him, loving how quickly he responded and how incredible it felt. I was right—what I had with Levi went beyond simple attraction. I’d never find anything even remotely close to it. He lifted me up, carrying me to his bedroom. He kicked his door closed before laying me down on his bed.

“We’re leaving,” Jared yelled, and I heard the front door slam. I was glad. I knew Pterons had good hearing, and I didn’t want to have to worry about being quiet. I didn’t want to worry about anything but being with Levi.

I pulled Levi’s head down, wanting his lips on mine again. He moved back after a minute, pulling off my sweater and his shirt. “I’ve been waiting to get you naked in my bed for a long time, and I’m not wasting a second.”

“I don’t want to waste any time either.”

“Good.” He unbuttoned my jeans and slid them off. “Red panties? Were these intentional?”

I shrugged. “Maybe subconsciously.”

He took off his pants, and returned to unclasp my bra. His mouth moved to claim my breast.

“I like the red, but I like you naked better.” He took off my panties, and I reached out to grab him as he leaned over me again.

I was barely aware of him lifting me enough to pull down his covers. His hands and lips touched me everywhere before he positioned himself over me. “I love you. Every single part of you.”

I smiled. “Then show me.”

***

“I don’t know what caused it, but if this is what’s going to happen when you go on vacation, you should go more often.”

“Next time, you should come with me.” I meant it.

He smiled, running a hand down my stomach underneath the covers. “I like that idea.”

I curled up against him, our bodies tangled together in the sheet. “Your bed is pretty comfortable.”

“Comfortable enough you’re going to spend all of your nights here?”

“Not all, but a lot.”

“That’s a good start.” His lips brushed against my neck.

My phone rang, ruining the moment. I tried to push Levi off so I could see who was calling.

“Ignore it.”

I started to sit up. “Let me see who it is.”

“No.” He pushed me back down.

I was all about going along with it until my phone rang again. “Give me my purse.”

“Fine.”

He handed it to me, but not fast enough to avoid the call going to voice mail. I looked at my phone. I had two missed calls from Jess. It was weird that she’d called twice without leaving a message.

“I have to call her back.” I pulled the sheet tightly around me, feeling strange calling her while naked in bed with Levi.

He made it a little less awkward. “Fine, I’m going to make us something to eat. Don’t go anywhere. I’ll bring it back here.”

“Okay,” I said absently as he left the room.

“Hello, Allie,” a male voice answered.

I froze. I recognized that voice, and it wasn’t Emmett.

“Allie, help please!” I heard Jess scream in the background.

“What the hell is going on?”

“I told you to come back to me, but you wouldn’t listen.”

My stomach dropped. “Toby, please, what’s going on? Why do you have Jess?”

“You want Jess? Agree to come back to me. That’s all it will take.”

“Answer me. Why do you have her?”

“You really don’t get it, do you? We are meant to be together, but you are too blinded to realize it.”

“Have you lost your mind?”

“No, but you have. All it takes is a pair of wings to get you in bed, huh?”

“What?” Had he just said what I thought he did?

He laughed. “I’m surprised you haven’t figured it out yet. I thought you were smarter than that.”

“Figured what out? How did you know about his wings?”

“I guess I never mentioned my mother’s maiden name, did I?”

Toby’s mother had been dead since he was a kid. I had no reason to know it. “No, why?”

“Does Blackwell ring a bell?” My chest clenched. “Are the pieces falling into place, babe?”

If I hadn’t been sitting down, I would have collapsed. “Wait are you… you can’t be.”

“I can’t? Why not?”

“Because it’s impossible. How could I have been with two… this makes no sense.”

“Why not? Are Levi and I really that different?”

“But why? And if you wanted me, why not just get me while I was there?”

“They still haven’t told you how much power you have, have they?” Toby laughed dryly. “If you want Jess back, you’ll come to me willingly. I can almost handle knowing he’s had his hands on you since it’s going to make things even better for us. I promised I could take care of everything, and I never break my promises. I know you think you can’t leave him, but you can, and you will.”

“Toby? Please.”

“I’ll be in touch, and when I am, you’re going to come to me.” The line went dead.

Levi walked in and found me holding the phone in shock.

“Al, what’s wrong?”

“They have Jess.”

“Who does?” He sat down on the bed next to me.

“The Blackwells.”

“The Blackwells? Who called you?” He put a hand on my back.

“Toby. He says he’s a Pteron. A Blackwell.”

“Your ex-boyfriend?”

“Levi, why did he say he needs me to come willingly?”

Levi’s face paled. “It doesn’t matter. You’re not going to him.”

I shook off my annoyance that he was evading my question again. “We have to get Jess back. I’ll do whatever I have to. I can’t let anyone else get hurt because of me.”