I muttered my thanks, told him that I’d be in touch, and hightailed it out of there. I guess Luke Cavanagh still had the ability to make me squirm. Luckily, it wasn’t for the same reasons as before.
“Ryder?” I spun with my hand on the doorknob. “Tell that vampire friend of yours to quit following me around. It’s creepy.”
I snickered, wondering if he knewwhyGabriel wouldn’t leave him alone. “Something tells me he already knows.”
As I drove to Liz’s, I thought over the events of the last year—ever since I’d moved to Salem. Twice we thought we’d shaken those hunters by now, and still they returned.
I groaned, sinking down in my seat at a red light. My chest was starting to get tight again. Sitting there, I began to rub my chest, and I’d never wished more than I did in that moment that I had vampire speed. The light turned, and my foot sank downon the pedal. The closer I got to Liz’s, the more that tightness in my chest faded and warmth took its place.
When I parked, James was already watching the door. His restraint was evident, as if it was taking everything he had not to run to me.
I got out of the car and stuck my hands in my pockets to keep them warm. The silver weighed heavily there. I felt sick as I approached the front door. For God’s sake, I didn’twantto go through this again. We’d beaten those damn hunters—twice. How many times was it going to take?
James caught Shiloh’s attention the moment the door shut behind me. “Can you take over here? Kian’s still new to espresso martinis.”
“Sure.” Shi tossed me a smile, one I forced myself to return because it was impossible not to. Their smile, along with James’s arm around me, did wonders to calm me.
“What’s the matter, love?” James asked in my ear. “You look like you’re about to cry or be sick, and I don’t know which one of those things would be worse.”
“I just visited Luke,” I admitted.
James crooked a brow. “Oh?”
Swallowing against the bile rising in my throat, I pulled the chain from my pocket and showed it to him. “We need to talk.”
He didn’t say a word, only took my arm and guided me toward the hallway, to the office, and shut the door behind us. “He’s doing it again?”
I blinked in surprise. “What? No! He said he left them, and I believe him. You should have seen his face when he looked at this thing. He went almost as pale as you are.”
James shot me a deadpan look. “Okay, I would have believed you without the jab.”
I forced a grin, skirting around him to drop the chain on his desk. “I use humor when I’m nervous—sue me.”
With my back to him, James stalked across the room and wrapped his arms around me. He pressed a kiss to his mark, which tingled and sent jolts of pleasure through my skin.
“I’m afraid I’m not following, then. What’s got you nervous, love?”
“I thought we were through with it this time,” I admitted. “I know we’ve beaten them before, but they nearly killed you—twice.”
“I’ll call Gabriel,” James said.
“Doesn’t he have his hands full with Dani already? And how do we knowsheisn’t involved?” When I was met with silence, I turned to look over my shoulder. James stared at me, his thumb having slipped beneath the hem of my shirt to stroke the soft skin of my stomach. “What?”
“Since when do you care about Gabriel?”
“Shut up—ah!” James’s fingers dug into my ribcage, and I squirmed and wriggled to get away from him. “Isn’t he going to be like my cousin-in-law or something once I turn?”
James chuckled. “We’re not all related, you know.”
I spun in his grip, letting him back me against the desk. “You know I snark when I’m stressed,” I countered, but I’d lost my sense of dread.
James brushed a stray lock of hair from my eyes. After my impulsive cut, it was starting to grow back and was just the right length to be annoying. “Before I call him, is there anything I can do for you to ease your nerves?”
“Yeah,” I said confidently, knocking him backward so I had room to move. “That martini sounds pretty good right about now. Since I’m off the clock, you can make me a drink.”
James bit his lip.Uh oh…“I have a better idea.”
Chapter 13
