“Fine.” He set the knife down and crossed his arms over his chest. “Rianne was on a plane to Boston last night.”
I swayed. “For real?” My throat closed up. After the major blowup between us, I was torn about how to knock some sense into her. Her words were sewn into my brain.
I’m doing this for you. Humans can’t fall in love with vamps. I’m my own person, Layla. And we don’t belong with vampires. I know what I’m doing. I’m ridding the world of one of the most powerful vampires. Then when I’m done, his sister is next.
I couldn’t bring myself to tell Sam that last line. I was hoping I didn’t have to. But if Rianne was in Boston, she was there either to finish the job or to go after Jo. Or maybe she’d come to her senses. “Is Noah with her? Where is she?” I pushed off the sink and checked my phone, which was on the island, knowing Rianne hadn’t called.
Sam came over to me. “We don’t know. And Noah isn’t with her, as far as we can tell. Tripp thought she would show up at the gate on base. But she hasn’t. She might’ve gotten in late and stayed at a hotel. We’re thinking she might show up today.”
His dread hit me upside my face. I sucked in air. He’d warned me that, in his world, logic wasn’t in play and not to try and make sense of it. But to experience his emotions as though they were my own was unnatural. Sure, humans could sense others’ emotions, and body language was always a good indicator. But to actually feel what he felt in the pit of my stomach was giving me a dizzying headache.
“To finish the job,” I mumbled.Please let her show up and grovel for forgiveness. I laughed out loud. Rianne would never beg.
He peered down through his long lashes. “Or she’s teamed up with Roman?”
Air whooshed out of me as I shook my head like a wet dog after a bath. “She wouldn’t stoop that low.” I was beginning to believe someone had given her a drug that turned off her humanity. “I don’t understand. When we first arrived at my uncle’s ranch, she was defiant about staying there.” I dipped into my memory bank. I didn’t remember seeing Rianne much while I was sick, but I’d slept most of the time. Still, I would’ve seen a change in her, especially that morning we chatted in the kitchen. “She hates Roman. Remember he strapped her with C-4. One of the reasons my uncles are hunting again is because of him. Ray is salivating for revenge.”
He tipped up my chin. “Look at me. You make valid points, and I agree. But maybe she’d been compelled.”
“No,” I said sharply. “Not at all. She was well aware of what she was doing.” That much, I was certain of. Granted, Noah might have had something to do with pushing her over the edge, but Rianne hadn’t been compelled in Montana. “We can’t forget your enemies want you alive for your blood and DNA. Roman even said you’re worth millions, which means if Rianne has teamed up with him, it’s to kidnap you. He’ll use her to do his bidding. He still wants Abbey, right?”
A muscle ticked in his jaw. “I know you want to talk some sense into Rianne. I would do the same in your shoes, but until we know her motives, you can’t go near her. For all we know, she’ll kidnap you to lure me in.”
“Great,” I said. “We have Roman to deal with and now my sister and cousin.” I anchored my hand to the granite top as a wave of dizziness hit me.
Sam lifted me onto the island. For some reason, the act reminded me of my dad having me sit on the kitchen counter as a little girl to watch him make banana pancakes.
Sam grabbed the knife. “You need to have a small amount of blood. Seriously, your eyes are dull.” He slit his wrist and offered it to me.
I licked my damn lips as though I was about to sink my teeth into the juiciest steak. “This is so weird. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this.”
“Drink before it closes.”
I suctioned my lips to his wrist. The blood exploded on my tongue like Pop Rocks candy.
Sam smoothed a hand over my hair before kissing my head. “Take all you need, baby doll.” Then his lips were on my ear. “I do love you, Layla.”
I froze.
He petted me gently. “I am so in love with you,” he whispered in my ear.
Flutters and fireworks went off inside my stomach as goose bumps blanketed me. I sucked one last time then sat up straighter.
He blew out a breath, and I had to hold my stomach. Those butterflies were having a dance party.
He wiggled his way between my legs, appearing as though the weight of the world had fallen off his shoulders. “You’re so freaking beautiful.” He swiped the pad of his thumb over my lips.
I grasped his wrist then sucked the remnants of blood off his thumb.
He trailed his fingers along my cheek, studying me as though snapping photos for an album.
I was suddenly dizzy for an entirely different reason, trying to find the words to respond or say anything at all. I wasn’t ready to answer in kind. Iwasfalling for him, but I needed more time to be sure. Once I said those three little words, my life would change once again, and things were already going at warp speed.
“We should get on the road,” he said as though someone had thrown a bucket of ice on him.
“Hey, wait.” I didn’t know if he wanted me to say it back, but we needed closure on the topic for the time being.
As if he knew the war raging inside me, he said, “I know that when you’re ready, you’ll tell me your true feelings. No matter what they are, it won’t change how I feel about you.”
