After a long moment, Evan eventually turns around, his blond brows pulled together in a frown.
I return the look, suddenly worried.
“You terrified me today,” he says.
I flinch. So he had been afraid of my thirst.
When I lower my gaze, he tips my chin up. “When you left,” he clarifies. “Not when you needed me. We both knew that day was going to come eventually, and it didn’t scare me. You hear me? I trusted you. I always will.”
His blue eyes search mine before scanning my face, like the reminder of my thirst has made him see me for the first time after drinking blood. Does it shock him the way it shocked me, what fresh blood does to me? How it silences the demon and makes me human in a matter of seconds?
If he’s surprised by it, he doesn’t comment on it. Instead, he meets my gaze. “You need to stop leaving me, okay? I can’t take it anymore.”
“I didn’t want to. I just… the thirst was already bad before I found Justice this morning, but then… I don’t know. When he died, I just lost it. I needed blood.”
He nods. “I know. But I’m right here, Jer. And I love you, so no more running. Okay?”
Relief floods me, and my jaw falls open before a grin breaks out across my face. “I love you too.”
His eyes widen, then he smiles too, laughing once. “Shit, I did say that, didn’t I?” He shakes his head, amused. “But it’s true. I love you. I think I always have. I just didn’t see it untilnow.”
I kiss him deeply just as someone pounds on the bedroom door. “Jericho! Evan! Everything okay in there?” Grant calls.
Evan startles then sputters a quiet laugh.
“Yeah, we’ll be out in a minute,” I call.
Grant’s steps retreat a second later.
Evan takes my hand before his eyes search mine, pleading. “Are you okay? Really. I know what happened with Justice must have been hard for you.”
My chest aches. I lower my gaze, unsure of what to say.
Evan kisses me gently. “I am so sorry you had to do that.”
I take a deep breath. “I don’t think I would have been able to if you weren’t there, so. Thank you.”
Evan rubs my back. “You were right. He deserved the choice, and you gave him that.”
“Yeah. I guess.”
Kissing me one more time, Evan turns the water off. “Come on. We better go talk to the pack. They’ve been waiting to call Bronson until we knew more.”
Before we get dressed, I pull Evan close, “I’m sorry for scaring you.”
He hugs me back. “I know. Just don’t leave again, okay? We’re in this together.”
24
EVAN
I’m almost lightheaded as we descend the stairs, both from the relief of Jericho’s return, and from hearing him say those words. I love you. I never imagined we would be here, but now I can’t see us any other way. How was I so blind to my feelings for him?
A few heads turn when we enter the living room, and my steps falter when I catch my mom watching me. Or rather, us. Her attention drifts to my neck before she looks away, wringing her hands in her lap.
With a flash of horror, I realize the entire room must’ve known what we were up to. I mean, how could they not? Jericho had come into our bedroom like a man on a mission, his thirst so plainly visible in his dark green eyes. They must’ve seen it, right? I’m surprised no one stopped him.
Had my mom? God, had my mom known what Jericho was about to do? She’s witnessed it before, when she caught him taking blood from my finger, but this was a whole new level. This was…
