“Because you still don’t trustme?”
“I trustyou.”
“Then why won’t you tellme?”
“Because the Creeks killed Everest over thisdrug.”
“They killed him because he defaulted on his deal to sell it tothem.”
“The Creeks have more money than they could ever use. Especially if you factor in Aidan’s real estate contribution. I may hate the man, but he’s smart at business and has built an empire.” Liam unlinked his fingers and set his palms on his denim-clad knees. “They didn’t off your cousin because of a monetaryloss.”
A chill swept over me.So they really need Sillin . . .“And yet you were willing to fighther.”
“I was ready to fight her because I know how the drugworks.”
“And Idon’t?”
He made a growly sound that had my shoulderssquaring.
“I took it for weeks, Liam. When I moved to LA, Mom forced me to ingest it every day to make my werewolf genedormant.”
“Then you know that once the pills are popped out of their packaging and exposed to air and heat, their effect wears off. That’s why we kept ours in a padlockedfridge.”
I raised aneyebrow.
“Soif—and this is a huge if—Sillin was in Morgan’s bloodstream or on her skin, its effect would’ve diminished by the time I got around to fightingher.”
I took in this information, filed itaway.
He tilted his head to the side. “You know what baffles me most about all of this? You’re always the first to proclaim that women are equal to men, yet a female Alpha defeats a male, and you’re convinced she cheated? Why isthat?”
My arms went lax, but since they were still knotted in front of my chest, they didn’t plummet against the couch. “Julian threwup.”
“Yet his Second—who has absolutely no love for the Creek Alpha—didn’t signal foul play? Either Nora Matz is dumb as shit or you’re smart asfuck.”
I watched his expression, watched it closely to know what his conclusionwas.
“Don’t look at me likethat.”
“Like what?” Iasked.
“Like you don’t know what I’mthinking.”
“I don’t know what you’rethinking.”
His haggard face softened. “You always know what I’m thinking.” He looked down at his long fingers as he rubbed his knees. Back and forth. Back and forth. When he raised his gaze back to mine, he said, “If you were dumb as shit, I wouldn’t have accepted you as my Second . . . however enthralling you might be.” A heavy breath puffed out of him. “I know I suggested killing your father, Ness, but I’m the first person to admit how wrong it was. I sincerely hope that, someday, I’ll be half the man hewas.”
Liam hadn’t moved off the armchair, yet it felt as though he were kneeling beside me, repeatedly flicking myheart.
“Ifyouthink I’m worth fighting for, then fuck, I’ll fight. Alongside you, I’ll fight. I’ll become a worthy Alpha. One that you will never”—his eyes bore into mine—“want to run from again. One who would never let you runagain.”
Silence settled betweenus.
“I want your admiration, Ness. I might never get anything else from you, but I hope I’ll earn that muchback.”
Tears slickened myeyes.
Because he’d brought up my father, I told myself. That was the reason for my tears. Theonlyreason forthem.
