TEMPORARY MATES PERMANENT CRAVINGS novel Chapter 266

Two hundred and sixty six

Lisa POV

The days crawled by, and I didn’t know what to do with myself. Cameron was with the Daughters. The rituals had begun, and nobody would tell us how they were going. Every morning I woke expecting news, and every night I lay awake wondering whether he was still alive.

We hadn’t heard anything from Kieran or Franklin. Cassidy and Joanna never came either, although women moved in and out of the safe house to check on us while guards stayed posted outside. That was the only change. People passed through the warehouse all day, but nobody stopped to tell us anything.

Sometimes my mother would ask the women, hoping for something more, and they always gave the same answer.

“The rituals are still going on.”

“I’m afraid, Mom,” I said as she pulled me against her.

She kissed my forehead.

“Well, I’m trying not to be,” she said. “You’re the one making me nervous.”

“Don’t blame me. It’s so spooky. I can’t imagine anything good coming out of it.”

“If we keep expecting the worst, how is that going to help?”

I sighed. It didn’t help. Still, I found myself counting the days anyway, waiting for the seventh.

When it finally came, even my mother couldn’t hide her nerves.

Voices drifted in from outside the safe house, followed by a knock.

The door opened.

Kieran walked in, and my breath caught.

Mom was already crossing the room.

“What happened to you?”

His lip was split. Bruises darkened one side of his face. Scratches ran across both forearms, and a bandage wrapped his left arm. He looked exhausted, but he still managed a smile.

“You should see the others,” he said. “Franklin looks like he lost an argument with a truck.”

Despite everything, the corner of my mouth lifted.

Mom guided him to the sofa and reached for the first aid kit.

“Was it Meridian?” I asked.

He nodded.

“It got ugly. They found us.”

My stomach dropped.

“Did they reach Cameron?”

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The call came later that afternoon. Kieran glanced at his phone and smiled.

“Told you he’d call.”

He handed it to me.

I wrapped both hands around the phone. Voices drifted through the speaker, followed by laughter.

Then…

“Hey.”

The sound of Cameron’s voice closed my throat.

I shut my eyes.

Tears slid down my face before I could answer.

“You’re alive.”

He laughed softly.

“I am. Thanks to you… and the Daughters.”

“Oh, Cameron.” I wiped at my face. “I kept thinking the worst. I couldn’t sleep.”

“I’m here.”

Those two words broke something inside me.

I smiled through my tears.

“I can’t wait to see you. I don’t know when these women are finally going to let me out. They keep giving me bitter medicine, and I’m convinced you’re the only sweet thing I’ve had all week.”

He laughed again.

“I believe you. They don’t joke around.”

“I love you, Lisa.”

My chest tightened.

“I love you with everything in me. This time, nothing’s going to tear us apart. It’s you and me against the world.” 1

“That was so cheesy,” I said, laughing through my tears.

“I know.”

I smiled, pressed the phone closer to my ear, and listened to him breathe.

That was enough.

We were going to be okay.