“One of the members of the council has it in for me,” he went on. “Ian. I defied him not long ago. He’ll make damn sure I’m exiled. I can’t let him take you and Declan from me.”
“I’ll stand at your side, my love,” I whispered. “If they take you, they take me. And Declan.”
He uttered a soft moan of grief and muttered thickly, “No.”
“There’s always the chance the council will see your side,” I went on. “I’ll certainly plead for mercy on your behalf.”
“And if they don’t listen?”
“I’ll bitch slap them into next week.”
Choking on a laugh, Avery hugged me tightly. “I love you.”
“Why, what a coincidence. Happens I love you, too.”
He held me for a while longer, then pushed me upright, sniffing as though fighting tears. “We don’t deserve you.”
“Sure you do. Look, I need to get some things from the store. You’ll watch Declan?”
“Um, yeah. It is sorta my job as his dad.”
“It’s my job now.” I kissed him briefly. “Car keys?”
The insurance company paid for a rental while they evaluated the damage to Avery’s car and its worth. Avery leaned back to pull the smart key from his jeans pocket, then his credit card from his wallet. “Will you stop at the liquor store for wine?”
“Lush.” I kissed him. “Be back soon.”
The trip to both stores took only minutes in the small town. I rolled the buggy up and down the grocery aisles, selecting items we needed. Milk, eggs, bacon, beans, coffee. I pondered the merits of two different brands of coffee when his voice spoke from behind me.
“Hello, Jacy.”
I straightened and turned slowly to face him. “Carter.”
He smiled down at me from his six three height, his red-gold hair tumbling over his brow. “It’s good to see you again.”
“Not from where I stand.”
I didn’t flinch as he plucked a tendril of my hair and rubbed it between his finger and thumb. “Look, we should talk.”
“No, thanks.”
“Come on,” he said, half pleading. “We can work this out.”
“Not when you send your goons to kill me.”
“They’re just supposed to scare you.”
I smiled, but not with amusement. Carter blinked. I’m sure he expected me to cower and beg for his mercy, tell him everything he wanted to hear.I’ll never say anything, I swear. You’re safe from the cops, the feds, I don’t know anything, I never saw anything.My fresh dragon confidence gave me the courage to face him down as equals.
“James never reported back,” he said slowly. “He’s vanished, it seems. Did you take him out somehow?”
I glanced around, then stepped toward him. “I did. And I’ll take you out the same way. Leave, Carter. Just walk out of this store, this town. Run your gang, do your thing. Forget me. Or just maybe you’ll vanish, too.”
“Is that a threat I hear?”
“You bet your boots it’s a threat. It’s also a promise.”
He licked his lips, a sure sign my words struck a chord. “You don’t have what it takes.”
