Undying Embrace Read Online Free Page A

Damn, she looked different. The only thing that remained the same was the amber color of her eyes. She tilted her head and studied her reflection. It felt good to be someone else, even if for a little while.
    A woman without a history—and a gaping hole in her heart left by a man who hadn’t cared enough to stick around.
    “Oh God, Elle.” She threw the tube of blood-red lipstick at the vanity top. It pinged and bounced against the glass. “When are you going to purge Arran from your brain and move on?” Grabbing her ID off the top of the dresser, she whirled around, headed for the door, and added, “And how about you quit talking to yourself like you’re some sort of basket case.”
    Forget Arran. Alex needs me and by God, I’m not going to let her down.
    …
    The blue digital clock on her dash read 12:00 when Elle rounded the corner at College Avenue and Dalton. Across the street from Wicked Ways, a black pickup pulled away from the curb. “Yes.”
    Signaling, she changed lanes, and whipped her Lexus into the vacant spot. She glanced over at the bar’s exterior as she turned the engine off. A flashing neon-red forked tail, an extension of the letter y , directed traffic to the entrance. Subtle.
    She grabbed her iPhone, preparing to squeeze it into her narrow purse, when it vibrated against her palm. Glancing down, the dark screen displayed Logan . It was the sixth time he’d called over the last two days. He cared so much about her. Yet every time he called, it meant another lie on her part. Sliding her finger across the screen, she accepted the call. “Hi, Logan.”
    “Hello, beautiful.” His deep voice, sprinkled with a hint of a brogue, brought a smile to her face. “How’s my lovely lass this evening?” Such a charmer. She took a long, deep breath, needing every ounce of strength to get through another conversation and not give herself away.
    “I’m fine. I take it you’re not on patrol tonight?”
    “That would be a negative. I’m covering ops again, since our operations expert decided to jump ship for a little R & R. Still having a good time with your sister?” A creak of wood, like he’d shifted in a chair, punctuated the question. “Not ready to come back yet and rescue me from this godforsaken desk?”
    “Sorry, big guy.” She laughed. “I think you and your highlander behind can last a few more days in front of the computer without me.”
    “Maybe so, but I don’t know how much longer my heart will. I miss you, Elle.”
    Oh, please, don’t go there . She squeezed her eyelids closed and pinched the bridge of her nose. Finding her sister hadn’t been the only reason she’d taken some time away from the Enclave. Logan was tired of waiting. Moreover, she was tired of evading. This past year, he’d made it clear that he wanted to make her his. He was good to her. Tall and ruggedly handsome, he had emerald green eyes and long golden brown hair that fell to his waist. A body any woman would throw back the covers for and welcome into her bed.
    She should be in love with him. Shouldn’t she?
    “Elle? Lass, are you still there?”
    “Huh? Yeah, I’m still here. I’m sorry, Logan. My sister is calling me. I have to go. Good-bye.”
    “Wait. Elle, I—”
    Tapping End Call with her thumb, she dropped her forehead onto her palm. “Damn, damn, damn.” She hated this, but she didn’t want him here. She didn’t need the added pressure of dealing with what was in her heart, or not. Locating her sister was something she needed to handle alone. She and Alex had always taken care of each other. They’d had to. With a drug addict mother and a stepfather whose attentions had had nothing to do with love, they’d only had each other to cling to.
    Elle stepped from the car and slammed the door shut. A soft beep and a flash of light from the headlights later, she dropped her keys into her purse and headed across the street. The closer she moved toward the club, the sound of her heels clicking