Destined for Two Read Free

it lying against her fair skin, his hands began to tremble slightly. Could it be they’d truly found her this time?
    She certainly looked like her mother, Tray, and the necklace was an exact match to his and Keenas’s. Meeting his brother’s frown, he handed the screen over to Keenas as he spoke.
    “I think we need to make a trip to Veenori.”
    8
     

Chapter Two
    Rhia awoke from her nightmare with a start and glanced nervously around her room.
    Everything was as it should be, in its place and tidy. She rested her elbows on her drawn-up knees and put her pounding forehead in her hands. Who was the woman in her dream, and why were they running? The woman had been shot, but still she pulled Rhia behind her, running toward a chapel at the far end of the street. There, the woman swore they would find refuge.
    They had, but unfortunately the woman died shortly after, leaving Rhia alone and bound for an orphanage. Reaching for the charm around her neck, she rubbed it between her fingertips. The necklace brought her peace, but at the same time plagued her with questions.
    The woman in her dream had told her to protect it at all cost, no matter what, but had never explained why. With a sigh, she glanced at the small clock on her dresser. Four in the morning, which meant she hadn’t been asleep but thirty minutes or so, at the longest.
    Standing, she grabbed her robe from the foot of the bed and slipped her arms inside the soft pink satin. She wouldn’t be able to sleep now, and she knew her brother would still be up. If not, her nightmare would have awakened him. He always knew when she’d had bad dreams and had always been there for her when she wanted to be comforted.
    She left her room, deciding to try his office first, and made her way down the long, dark corridor to the massive mahogany door at the far end. It was open just a crack and light spilled out onto the tile floor. As quietly as possible, she peeked inside to make sure he was alone. Li was asleep on the couch, covered with a light blanket, while Devlin sat at his desk going over paperwork.
    His eyes lifted and met hers across the room. “You okay, poppet?” he asked softly.
    She nodded and came farther into the room, her lips twitching at the pet name he’d given her as a small child because she was constantly popping up where he least expected.

    9
    “Another nightmare?” he asked gently, and pushed his chair back from the bulky mahogany desk that dominated the room. He patted his thigh.
    She moved around his desk to sit on his lap. With a tired sigh, she buried her face in his neck, inhaling his musky scent that never failed to put her at ease. His arms encircled her like a father’s would to soothe a child’s fears or pain, and she snuggled closer to his warmth, placing her hand against his chest. The beating of his heart through the thin material of his shirt silenced her rattled nerves and made her feel safe.
    She’d done this since she was little. Even now as an adult, when she was frightened or just couldn’t sleep, she’d curl up on his lap. Sometimes she would fall asleep, only to awaken as he laid her on his office couch, covering her with a blanket, just as he’d done with Li.
    “Li looks like she’s dead to the world. You must have worn her out.” She felt more than heard her brother’s soft, amused snort.
    “She told me about the strange man. Because I didn’t sense much apprehension from you, I assumed you had everything well in hand.”
    “He asked some strange questions, but I believe he was harmless.” Again, she looked over at Li huddled within the blanket, her clothes lying at the foot of the couch. If it had been Skylar, he would be on the couch with her, his love enfolded in his arms.
    “You should move on, Devlin. You have so much love to give,” she whispered, her heart breaking for her brother who’d lost so much when Skylar died.
    His warm lips kissed her brow, and then he let out a sad sigh. “Just leaves more for