“If you’re not going to tell me, then obviously I don’t know!”
He clenched his jaw, looking away from her. With a frustrated huff, he released her, turning. He pulled out a whistle and blew; shortly thereafter, Sharptooth arrived, swooping down behind him. Adrenaline beat through her as she watched him head toward his chimera.
“You’re leaving?” she cried, appalled. “I thought we were going to talk!”
“I can’t talk to you right now,” he replied.
Pain slashed through her. “But you said if I asked again you would answer,” she said, hating the way her voice wobbled. She sounded like a child, and she hated that, too.
He turned back to face her, expression turbulent. “Please don’t ask me anything right now,” he said, jaw clenched over the words.
“But you said—”
“I changed my mind!” he cried.
She flinched.How could he do this?He said...
He really was just playing with her.
The realization shouldn’t have surprised her so much, and yet. She shook her head.
“You were right,” she said, voice empty. “I don’t have a good opinion of you. I was hoping to change that—but it seems there’s no need.”
He looked gutted by that, and she was glad.
“Torch!” she called.
Luke’s dark eyes filled with regret as Torch swooped down, landing behind Emmeline. Motu was in her paw, and the baby flew to Emmeline’s side, holding onto her leg.
Both the baby dragon and Torch could immediately sense that Emmeline was upset. Torch growled at Luke, eyes slitted into a glare.
In response, Sharptooth inched closer to Luke, growling just as deeply. The animals stared each other down as Emmeline went to mount.
“Torch, come on,” she said. Luke took a step toward her.
“Emmeline, wait—” he started, but it was too late.
She was gone.
Chapter 18
Luke flew home, his mind spinning. The last two hours had turned his brain to mush, and he was still reeling from all that had happened.
He had been pleased when Emmeline had messaged him to meet after work. She had wanted to meet him in Bayview, which had only pleased him further. He had thought he could show her all of his favorite spots: the hot chocolate truck, the kids playing ice hockey, the toboggan slide.
Unfortunately, he’d arrived late. He’d taken his mother, Rhea, to a doctor’s appointment, from where his brother, Farhan, was supposed to pick her up, but Farhan had gotten busy with an after-school meeting with one of his middle school students. He would have texted Emmeline to explain all of this but, in perfect luck, his phone had died.
He had planned to explain in person, but when he rushed down to the lake, he saw Emmeline laughing with Flint of all people, which made him lose his mind. Flint was certified terrible news; he was involved in the gang that ran the illegaldragon races. Not only that, but a few years back, he had drugged the youngest of the Din girls at a party.
Though Luke didn’t have any sisters of his own, the Din girls were as close as he got, and the youngest, Lilliana, had hardly been eighteen at the time.
Luke didn’t care if Emmeline could take care of herself; seeing her around Flint had sent him into a panic.
Then she had the audacity to be angry withhim. For someone so clever, she really could be so dense. Couldn’t she tell he was only looking after her? Trying to protect her? And why would he do that—because he cared about her, damnit. But it was like she refused to see that.
How couldn’t she understand? It should have been obvious.
Maybe he hadn’t handled the situation well, but he couldn’t think straight. Dark possibilities ran through his mind, driving him over the edge as he thought of Emmeline in danger... Emmeline taken advantage of... Emmeline hurt.
