His pupils gushed darkness into his irises. “You don’t want methere.”
“What I want is for you to trustme.”
“You, Itrust.”
I gripped the edge of the car door. “Then trust that I can handleLiam.”
“Sweetheart”—his nostrils flared—“you’re asking a very human man to be superhuman. I’m not sure I’m capable ofthat.”
My lips bent with a smile. “Says awerewolf.”
My humor defused some of his anger. Not all of it, though. The tether was so stiff it seemed made of metal instead ofmagic.
“Let’s hope the Rivers know something we don’t,” hesaid.
It took my hazy mind a second to understand he was talking about Morgan’s tricks. “Yeah. Let’s hope theydo.”
We stared at each other for another endless beat. I sensed him tugging on the tether, trying to reel me to him. I had to clutch the door harder to avoidstumbling.
“August,” I chidedgently.
“What?”
“You’re going to make mefall.”
The pressure on my abdomen decreased so suddenly I almost tumbledbackward.
“I’m sorry,” hesaid.
It was late, and Liam would be here early, and the longer I remained next to August, the more chances we had of being caught. “I should reallygo. . .”
As I rounded the bumper, August powered his window down. “Come back to me,okay?”
Pleasure and trepidation dripped in equal parts inside my veins. Because his affection for me was so absolute that I was suddenly afraid of what tomorrow wouldbring.
Turning away, I said, “I’ll come back.” I climbed up my stairs fast, then went inside my home evenfaster.
The tether vibrated with hishurt.
Hurt I’d put there by not telling him I would come backtohim.
Because what if the absence of magic affected the strength of myattraction?
9
Iwas already sittingon the bottom step when Liam arrived the next morning. I slung the backpack I’d borrowed from Jeb, and which I’d filled with the bare necessities, over my shoulder, then walked to the passengerside.
After I settled in, Liam asked, “Had a fun night?” He wore dark sunglasses that made it impossible to read hisexpression.
“Idid.”
He started driving. “I have a half a mind to cancel the trip and phone up Morgan. You reek ofhim.”
Trying to keep as calm as lycanthropically possible, I said, “He gave me a ride back from his parents. Nothinghappened.”
He didn’t pick up his phone or do a U-turn to drop me back off. I wasn’t sure if it was because he realized the only one who would get hurt would be him or because my tone had been so flat. I wore my emotions on my vocal cords. Guilt would’ve heightened my pitch. I didn’t feel guilty about last night. At least not in the way Liam wasinsinuating.
But I did feel guilt. I’d been so torn up I’d barely slept. I rested my elbow on the armrest, cradled my throbbing forehead, and shut myeyes.
