Chapter 940

　　Listening to the cold, automated notice that the phone had been turned off, Austin stood frozen in the empty hallway, his fingers tightening around his cell. 　　Outside the window, the wind whipped freezing flurries against the glass, giving off a faint, rhythmic rattling. 　　The storm in his heart had broken loose, and there was absolutely no going back to normal now. 　　The next morning. 　　Tabitha slowly blinked her eyes open inside a warm embrace, running straight into a pair of dark gold pupils. 　　There was no telling how long Derek had been awake. He was propped up on one elbow, quietly staring down at her, his predatory eyes swimming with a rare, heavy tenderness. 　　"You're not busy today?" Tabitha asked lazily, rolling over with a voice still husky from sleep. 　　"I knew you had the day off, so I cleared my schedule early," Derek said, leaning down to plant a soft kiss on her brow, his nose brushing against her messy hair. "You awake?" 　　"Mm. You have something planned?" 　　"It's a