“I’ll tell him,” I said.
“You and I both damn well know that it’s not going to be that dang simple,” Dern said, leaning back in his chair.
“What do I do?”
“Look, Mori, I’m the killer. The hitman. The destroyer of those who are cruel. I revel in it. You’re the healer. This isn’t a warzone. It’s a broken heart. It’s a scared guy. That’s your fieldof expertise or it will be by the time I’m done with you. Figure it out.” Dern lifted his hand as if he would wave me back into my solid form.
“Wait! Before you send me away---”
“No, she’s not the one who blew out the windows. Neither is Jon. Though, he hightailed it out of there at double speed when he heard the explosion. You and Crilus aren’t the only ones with enemies.”
“Obviously not but that doesn’t narrow anything down, does it?” I asked.
“I told you plenty,” Dern sighed and waved me away.
Chapter Seven
Crilus
We watched the Raven’s Perch from a distance long enough to discern that Pierce wasn’t there and for Dad to ensure that my grandmother wasn’t the force at work behind the shattering explosion of the bar’s windows. Teal stood outside shouting orders to construction workers inside the building. Clarence and Morvan had left at some point. For a second, I allowed myself to wonder if Morvan and Rho’s ‘rock baby’ had fleshed up yet. Then I pushed the thought away. I probably wasn’t going to be able to stay in Moonscale London. I wouldn’t be able to stay in contact with my new friends when I left. I couldn’t handle them asking a million times why I’d give up the one thing everyone wanted.
I wanted a mate. I wanted someone who could and would stand by my side and face everything the universe threw at us but not my true-mate. Not the one who might just bring my downfall because of whatever evil genes circled around my blood and bones.
“He’s at Moonglow Cabin with Mori and Preston,” Dad said, looking up from his phone and pulling me back into the present moment. “The Postcard Men took Mori again. He’s coming around, though. Crilus, this man is a good man. He stayed with them despite how much he must’ve wanted to follow you.”
“Umm… Doing his job and being the bare minimum of a decent human being doesn’t make him good, Dad,” I said and fought off the urge to roll my eyes. “Chasing someone who doesn’t want to talk to you is creepy and entitled.”
“Well, he’d probably agree since he’s your mate,” Dad said. “Preston sent a text to Teal. He’ll send us a car.”
“Shit! Does Teal know where we are?”
“I’m not sure,” Dad shook his head. “What’s going on between you and Teal? Is he why you ran away from Pierce?”
“No,” I said and sank down onto my butt between the buildings so that the shadows would hide me if Teal glanced in our direction.
“What then?”
“Teal makes me want to believe good things can happen,” I groaned.
“Then perhaps you need more time with him and not less,” Dad said.
“Dad, you know that good things—”
“Happen. Good things happen,” Dad said, squaring his shoulders. “Seriously, sweetheart.” He sat down next to me. “You’re here because good things happen. I’m not saying what happened with Uriel was fair. It wasn’t. Uriel got caught up in the curse of his family, but good things happen. His son does good things still. You’re here because good things happen. Your carrier and Kodiak were my good thing. Maybe my first truly good thing but more came.”
Uriel had met my father and then went home to kill the mate his pack forced him to take. He would’ve killed their newborn son too if not for Mori’s sire. Barry was Uriel’s brother and beat him to death for killing his mate and attempting to kill his baby. My father barely knew Uriel before he was dead.
“It’s hard to believe that Mori’s parents and you were on opposite sides of a war at one point,” I frowned.
“People change. We’re supposed to change,” Dad shrugged. “I promised Kodiak I wouldn’t tell you this, but he’s already ran a background check on Pierce. A very thorough one with Medwin Moonscale’s help. He’s a good guy. He’s a good son and a good guard.”
“You’d run if Uriel came back,” I said and hated myself for speaking the words. Why did I always go for the lowest blowwhen the world crawled under my skin and poked at all the holes generational trauma left behind? Why couldn’t I stop myself.
“I don’t know what I’d do to be honest,” Dad said. “I’ll probably never find out, but this isn’t about me. This is about giving Pierce a chance. I’ll tear him limb from limb if he hurts you or anyone else but doing such at this point doesn’t feel fair. Doesn’t he deserve a chance?”
“I don’t know,” I shrugged. “I’ll make sure your mother isn’t trying to kill him but that’s all I’m promising.”
“That’s a good start,” Dad said and gave me a one-armed hug as the limo Teal called for us pulled up.
