“Tell Ember to come see me when she’s done feeding everyone,” I said.
Wraith didn’t move right away.
He watched me like he was reading the parts of me I didn’t show anyone else.
“You care,” he said.
I lifted my eyes slowly. “Watch your mouth.”
Wraith didn’t flinch. “I’m not judging. I’m stating a fact.”
“I don’t have time for this.”
“You don’t,” he agreed. “Which is why you need to be honest with yourself about what you’re doing. Because if Rowan’s on the edge of our territory and you’ve got his kid in your bed wearing your vest, this isn’t a game anymore.”
My jaw clenched.
“I know.”
Wraith’s gaze softened just slightly. “Do you?”
I didn’t answer.
Because the truth was, I didn’t want to.
I wanted Kellan quiet in my room. Warm at my back. Soft in a way that made my chest ache.
I wanted him safe.
And I wanted to keep pretending this had a chance in hell of ending well.
Wraith pushed off, finally heading for the door.
He paused with his hand on the knob. “One more thing.”
“What?”
He glanced over his shoulder. “If you’re keeping him here, you need to decide what he is.”
My temper flickered. “He’s leverage.”
Wraith held my gaze. “Then stop touching him like he’s yours.”
He left before I could respond.
The door clicked shut.
And the silence after felt louder than anything.
I sat there for a long time, staring at the wall.
Stop touching him like he’s yours.
That was the problem.
I hadn’t been touching him like he was leverage.
I’d been touching him like he was?—
