I almost didn’t go, but it didn’t feel right to skip my first day after Verity got me the job, so I just ended up coming. I didn’t regret it; it forced me out of the mood I’d been in all day.
“Are you sure Lucian’s not lying to you?”
On the drive over, and between little moments in the back of the venue, I’d filled her in on everything that had happened the last few days.
“On this, no. I can see the hate seeping off him at just the mention of Cierra’s name. It’d be more accurate that he’d kill her and lie about that than him still having her hidden somewhere.” I shook my head. “I’ve also been listening to his phone conversations when I can.” I peeked at her from the corner of my eyes. Yeah, it was shady of me, but I didn’t give a fuck. After everything he’d done to me, I’d be as sneaky as I wanted. He was desperate to find her and be done with it, but it was more than that; he worried about my safety.
Verity leaned forward and dangled her arms off her knees.
“I’m learning that Lucian is predictable as fuck.” I scratched my temple where the loose strand tickled. My hair was in a bun, but since I kept walking back and forth to fetch drinks, food, and anything else for people, it had become a mess. “For example.” I jerked my chin to the line of cars in the back. “I’m almost positive he has someone watching me right now.”
“No way,” Verity gasped.
I’d seen the big-ass familiar truck in the farthest part of the lot. It’d edged itself behind another truck, successfully hiding from me at my vantage point near the front.
Now I understood why I kept feeling like I was being followed.
“Let’s go.” I’d bet my ass it was Alex. “Be quiet.” I walked opposite to the entrance until we were out of sight of the front of the truck. Verity followed close by. It took a while for us to reach the back of the cab. It was too dark to see inside, but there was an outline illuminated by a cell phone. I got even closer until I could see Alex’s face illuminated by the phone screen.
I slapped my hand on the window. Alex jumped, his phone flying out of his hand, and giving me a view at the colorful game on his screen. Verity couldn’t contain her snickers.
Alex opened the truck door so fast that it almost smacked me because I was laughing too hard. He hopped out, landing on the cement.
“I wasn’t given a choice,” he announced, hands raised like I’d accused him of something.
“I’m sure he didn’t.” I raised an eyebrow at Alex. He shook his head, lifting his eyes behind me, and suddenly stilled. All I could hear was Verity stifling her laughter. Alex’s eyes widened, and a dopey expression crossed his features. I backed up to see what he was looking at. Verity lifted her eyes to his, and they widened. She sucked in a breath, her eyes flicking down to her chest and up, and kept repeating the motion.
“What . . .”
“Mate,” Alex growled. He was on her within my next blink, his face buried in her neck. Verity’s jaw slackened, and her eyes closed.Oh, fucking Moon, you are a funny one.
This was a private moment, so I inched back as quietly as I could, trying to hold in my squeals. As shocked as I was, I couldn’t help but be excited. Verity had always been family, but now it was official.
I was halfway back to the venue when the thud of footsteps came up behind me. I turned in time to see Verity running up to me. I immediately sought out Alex, and he hovered near the front of his truck, his body turned toward her.
Her face was flushed, and she kept rolling her lower lip between her teeth. She looked freshly kissed andseverelyhot and bothered.
“I can cover for you if you need to go.” I did my best to stifle my smirk.
“No!” She raked her short hair back and shook her head. “No, I told him I need some time to wrap my head around . . .” Her eyes became unfocused. “I mean, what the fuck. He’s too young—and you didn’t tell me there’s a literal fucking string connecting from me to him.”
Unlike two shifters, it took longer for a human and shifter pair to have a bond show up.
Now I understood why they seemed so drawn to each other.
“So he’s giving you space?” I raised an eyebrow. It wasn’t lost on me that Alex was getting closer and closer, and being obvious as hell.
She only nodded, her eyes unfocused.
“I’ll finish my shift.Hecan wait.” She raised her chin.
“You didn’t haveto bring me back,” I said as we rolled up to the front of my house.Myhouse. So, I was back to thinking it was mine. My indecision and oscillating emotions were giving me whiplash, so I shoved them into the back of my mind.
“No worries, I should drop you off if I were the one to take you.” Her voice was much too high-pitched. I still had to tell her about the kiss with Alex, but the timing seemed off. Besides, it meant less than nothing.
“Okaaaaay,” I sang. She sighed and whimpered as she squeezed the steering wheel in a hard grip.
“Fine, it’s an excuse. I can’t think, and I don’t want to face him right now.”
