The tether trembled between us as he hunted my expression. I realized he was trying to gauge my reaction to the chain of events Aidan’s death would set in motion. I was scared—we weren’t ready to face the Creeks—but I was also grateful that justice had finally been served. I caught the balled fist resting against his thigh and spread his stiff fingers with myown.
“August is right. They’d already be here if he’d called them,” Coleadded.
Liam backed away. “Burn the place down,” he said before shifting back intofur.
He craned his neck and watched me through his yellow eyes.Let’s hope they’ll believe Lucy did all this on her own. Cole, phone Rodrigo. Tell him to stall the firetrucks as long as he can.He swung around.Keep your phone on, Ness. I’m going to try and do some damage control. In case Ican’t. . .
He let his voice trail off, but I heard all the absentwords.
In case he couldn’t talk sense into the Creeks, we’d be at theirmercy.
42
Ituggedon August’s hand, trying to dislodge him from where he stood beside Cole, watching the fire devour Aidan’s mansion. They’d splashed a variety of chemicals throughout the house, over the expensive drapes framing his large windows, over the wooden furniture. The flames skipped around the trails of flammable liquids, growingrabid.
I heard Aidan’s hounds howl. I’d broken the window of the study in which he or Lucy had locked them, hoping they’d find their way out. I hadn’t dared open the door, afraid their master had trained them to scent Boulder blood andattack.
“We need to go,” Cole said, heading to his navysedan.
August got in the back with me, his arm wound tight around myshoulders.
“I’m glad he’s dead,” I whispered so he’d stop torturinghimself.
“It was the right call,” Cole said as he sped down the darkened roads toward thewarehouse.
Grunting, August set his attention on the moonless sky. Even the stars seemed darker tonight. At some point, he squeezed the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, so I cupped hisjaw.
“Look at me,” Isaid.
Hedid.
“My aunt fled. After cozying up to him, she fled. They’ll connect the dots and blameher.”
“What if they don’t, Dimples? What if theydon’t?”
“We were going to duel them anyway. It was a matter ofdays.”
He made a low growly sound in the back of his throat and punched the headrest of the empty passenger seat. “We don’t even know the outcome of the Sillin injection. What if that’s not Morgan’strick?”
“Maybe Sarah found outsomething.”
“Sarah?” Cole asked. “I thought she’d turned to the darkside.”
Of course he’d think this. “I know that’s what Liam and Lucas think, but Idon’t.”
Cole’s gaze flashed to mine in the rearview mirror. “She set us up to help her new pack steal theSillin.”
When August frowned, I recapped all that had happened, from the concealed missive inside my birthday present to thetheft.
“Why didn’t you tell me before?” heasked.
“Because I didn’t want to worry you,” Imumbled.
He twisted around on the seat to peer down at me. “It wouldn’t have worried me. What worries me is you carrying the weight of this on your own.” He pushed a lock of hair off my face. “I’m here foryou.”
He’d always been there forme.
I attempted a smile but failed miserably. He settled back against the seat and pulled me intohim.
