“Yes.”
A deep, hostile anger flared behind Silas’s breastbone. “You shouldn’t have done that,” he said through his teeth. “It’s not fair for you to put that on my shoulders.”
“I’m not blaming you. It was nothing for me to do it. I am what I am. And it needed to be done.” She stood, stepping in close to the dragon heart cradled in his hands. “I had the currency Ryker wanted. I used it to buy you what you needed... because I care about you.”
“Soleil, I’d never want you to do that.” He scowled at her, bile rising in his throat.
“Why? Why do you care what I do?”
“I care for you as a friend. You know I care. It’s not what it used to be, but I still care.”
She backed away. “But only if I play by your rules, right?”
“No. I’ll always be your friend. Even though we’re not together anymore, I still want what’s best for you. And Ryker is not what’s best for you.”
She stopped, her hands balling into fists. “Can’t you see I did this for you?”
“I can, but you shouldn’t have. I don’t know what you expected would come of this—”
“I wanted you!” she said. “I wanted to prove to you that I still love you.” She blinked her blue eyes at him.
He shook his head. “It’s not like that anymore for me. We were at a crossroads, and we both went in opposite directions. There’s no going back.”
She wept in earnest. He reached out a hand to comfort her, but she shook her head. “Take the heart. Wake Nickelova. Find Alex. And then think long and hard if you are willing to lose me forever.”
“Soleil…” Silas slipped the heart back into the purple bag and backed toward the door. He didn’t feel good about this. It was like she was hanging on to some hope that wasn’t there. “Good-bye, Soleil.”
She turned away from him, her eyes fixating on her fountain. He left before she could say another word.
Chapter Eleven
By the time Silas reached his brick bungalow, Logan was waiting on the porch.
“You could have let yourself in.”
“After last time, I thought I’d play it safe.” He rubbed his chest where Silas had stabbed him. “Actually, I just got here. What’s in the bag?”
Silas looked both ways and let him in the front door before answering. “Nickelova’s heart.”
“You’re kidding. How did you manage to pry that from Ryker’s demon fingers?”
“I didn’t. Soleil did. She traded herself for the heart.”
Logan whistled through his teeth. “Ryker was the demon she was seeing.”
“Yeah.” Silas rubbed Maggie’s ears. “So, I need you to protect the heart while it’s here. Do you think Polina can put a stronger enchantment around the house?”
“I’ll make sure of it.”
Silas scratched behind one ear. “No exception for Soleil this time, okay?”
“Afraid she’s going to change her mind?”
“Or he will.” He sighed. “We’re obviously not on the same page anymore.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
With a nod of his head, Silas handed Logan the heart and moved into the kitchen to feed Maggie.
