Does he think I hate him?
My heart aches, looking at him so far away.
“Come here,” I whisper.
He stays planted in place, his mouth opening and closing, like he’s trying to resist me.
But the only way out is through, and we start now. I could never hate him.
“Come here,” I tell him again.
He hesitates, but only for a moment. In two seconds, he’s in front of me, brushing my cheek, my hair, and then pulling me close. “I’m going to put everything back together,” he says, his voice strained. “But first, I need to make sure you’re safe.”
I stare at him through watering eyes. “What are you going to do?”
We hug, and he squeezes me so tightly, I can barely breathe.
“I’m going to go after him.” He tucks my head into his neck before I can tense. “And then they can put the handcuffs on me, and whatever happens, happens.”
I startle, sucking in a breath. “Lucas, no.”
I push against his hold, lifting my eyes to his. It could end badly. Itwillend badly. I could lose him forever.
Hasn’t he learned anything? He needs his family. We can help. Madoc needs to know everything. Now.
He holds my face, his hard voice steady and sure as he tells me again without hesitation, “I’m going to make you safe.”
Lucas
Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I climb back through the mirror, seeing lightning flash across the street outside her shop window.
She chases after me. “No.”
Coming around my front, she snakes her arms around my waist, but I gently pull her off. I need to go. I’m going to find Drew before he has a chance to use me against Madoc.
She pleads with me. “Lucas, no.”
I move away from her and dial Farrow. He picks up the line. “I’m here.”
“Where’s Hugo right now?” I ask. If anyone knows where Drew is, it’s him.
Farrow sighs, realization dawning. “Ah, shit.”
I unlock the front door to go to the car, but Quinn plants a hand on it to stop me.
Farrow grumbles in my ear, “Meet me at Wicked.”
The strip club? It’s five-thirty in the morning. Hugo must be self-soothing after nearly dying last night. I’d already had atow truck dig the Mustang out of the woods and bring it back to Mr. and Mrs. Caruthers’s place. It looked fine, but I hadn’t had a chance to inspect it thoroughly yet. I just hope I have a chance to fix any damages before Jared sees it.
First things first, though.
“I don’t need you there,” I tell him.
I can do this alone.
But he just laughs like I told a joke and hangs up.
I slide my phone back into my pocket and try to open the door.
