TEMPORARY MATES PERMANENT CRAVINGS novel Chapter 228

Two hundred and twenty eight

Evangeline POV

Draining the last of the wine into my glass, I stood on the terrace overlooking the gardens, watching Chris direct the guards. The stillness of the evening, the lights dotting the grounds below, and the water rushing through the fountains made it all seem more pleasant. Or perhaps it was because I was tipsy.

Four years ago, I stood in a place like this, and a sense of victory swept over me. Cameron had stood beside me

But now, here I was, drowning in nothing but misery, all because of Lisa.

One surrogate.

One disposable woman.

She occupied every setback and failure.

The reminder of what she had cost me made my heart pound even faster.

If someone placed her in front of me right now, I would take pleasure in hurting her. Because she came for me first.

A familiar perfume drifted through the hight air. I didn’t need to turn around to know it was Nadia.

The scent reached me before her footsteps did. I stared into the darkness beyond the estate. The surveillance no longer bothered me. Franklin’s men watched my movements and reported back to him, thinking they were being subtle.

Nadia stopped beside me. A black sequined top caught the light. She paired it with wide-legged trousers.

She rested her forearms against the railing.

“How was the coven meeting?”

I said nothing, and she let out a snort.

“I assume there were chants and reports.”

I looked at her. A cold smile sat on her face.

“Any new plans? More curses? A human sacrifice?”

I turned away. The smile remained in her voice.

“So much effort, yet Cameron still remembers who he is. Do you need stronger magic? Maybe a bigger cauldron?”

She laughed as I rolled my eyes. The sound carried no humor.

“Have you ever questioned the weirdness of this? If something belongs to you, you don’t need to steal it. You don’t need rituals, manipulation, and cults. You just keep it.”

She tilted her head. The breeze lifted her dark hair.

“Everything your people touch breaks, yet somehow you’re all terrified of one man refusing to cooperate.”

That part landed because it was true. Cameron should have reached Dominion. The rituals were complete, and the pathways were open. Yet every time he slipped closer, something dragged him back.

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“Are you done?” I asked dryly.

Nadia’s eyes hardened.

“No, actually.”

She stepped closer.

“You walked into my life pretending to care. You sat at my table, listened to me cry, and let me trust you.”

I met her gaze.

“What makes you think I didn’t care?”

She let out a disbelieving laugh.

“You should hear yourself. Whatever you’re taking to convince yourself of that story, reduce the dosage. You don’t get to join a group dedicated to destroying lives and claim you’re everyone’s friend.”

“Just because I’m Meridian doesn’t mean I don’t love Cameron.”

Nadia stared at me.

“And there it is. The most selfish sentence I’ve heard all year.”

Nadia pointed toward the house.

“He’s going to get help. He’s going to recover. And when he does, he’ll go to the woman he actually wants.”

Something sharp moved through my chest.

“We’ll see about that.”

Nadia’s hands slammed into my shoulders. The railing struck my back, and shock ripped through me.

“Nadia!”

She shoved again. The terrace edge sat far too close, and panic took over.

“HELP!”

My voice echoed across the grounds.

“NADIA!”

She grabbed my arms. I grabbed hers, and we crashed into a table.

Glass shattered.

“HELP!”

Voices erupted, and footsteps thundered through the house.

“GET OFF ME!”

Her face twisted. Grief poured out all at once.

“YOU RUINED HIM! I HOPE YOU DIE!”

The terrace doors burst open, and several guards rushed inside. Franklin came with them. Hands seized Nadia.

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Others grabbed me. I stumbled free, and my heart thrashed violently.

I turned to see Cameron standing in the doorway. The sight of him shattered something inside me. I crossed the distance and threw myself into his arms.

“She tried to kill me.”

My voice broke.

“Cameron. She tried to kill me.”

I buried my face against his chest. He didn’t hug me, nor did he push me away. The lack of rejection felt like mercy.

My tears soaked his shirt. The Meridian wanted me dead. My mother had chosen the Meridian over me. The Debt Collectors were already waiting.

Cameron’s arms remained at his sides, yet I couldn’t make myself let go because, beneath all the fear, Dominion should have taken hold. But something inside him kept fighting and pulling him back. And if the Meridian couldn’t stop it, then neither could I.

P

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