“Willow, don’t threaten me—I’m trying to tell you I’m sorry.”
“So, you admit to paying James tens of thousands of dollars to not kill me, but get close to keep Layla from killing you for selling her to BSM?”
“James?” he asks, and it only rouses my bear to fight harder to get out.
“Ghost!” I nearly shout in frustration. My goddess, was he always this dense?
“Oh, then yeah, I admit to doing that.” Is this man crazy?
“Okay,” I say, huffing in frustration. I want to walk away, and let the Enchanted Pack swoop in, but I’m not dumb enough to give the man my back.
“Okay? That’s all you have to say, Willow? You’re not mad or going to yell at me?” He’s becoming unstable, and now I truly see the beast I’m dealing with. He’s unraveling at the seams, and the real Milo Doug Barrow has arrived to the show.
“I’d have to care to do that, Milo,” I say, trying to take an unnoticeable step away from him, but I run into the table behind me, a few boxes tumbling to the floor. That’s when I remember that I’m not the only one he’s hurt, and that there were no bounds to this man’s torment. “I’ll let it be water under the bridge if you tell me where Layla is?”
“I don’t want to hurt her, but she has to let this go,” he says, as if it is the most obvious observation any simpleton could make, but I know better. I know better now than to trust this lying, self-centered piece of trash.
“She should let go of you selling her off to pay for your faked murder when you could’ve just talked to me for free?” I say, absolute shock covering my skin.
“She was helping her brother be free. She should be happy to have been able to help me.”
“Was I so terrible that you couldn’t just talk to me?”
“I needed out. I needed to move on. I needed cash, and fast. Then you kept running your mouth, placing doubts all over town. I had to get you to keep quiet. I wasn’t murdered. I ran away.”
“I see that, Milo,” I mutter, trying to think about all that’s happened since he faked his murder and ran away. He lost everything, I lost everything, families were broken, and all because of what? “But then you moved to this town, and everything was fine.”
“Where is Layla?” I ask again. I don’t care about his breakdown or that I was wrong. I need to know where Layla is. He obviously has her.
“She’s so vengeful, and I needed you to protect me from her. She’s dangerous, Willow.”
“Milo, where is Layla?”
“James has her.” I can’t process the betrayal, not when I finally got Milo back on track.
“James has her? Has her where?”
“He found her two hours ago. I heard a car pull up, and I had to run. I’m sure he’s pissed, but you won’t let them kill me, right, Willow?” Okay, Jamesison our side?
“I wouldn’t bet on it,” I mutter, realizing we never really knew each other. He doesn’t know I can be as much of a killer as Layla and James. I didn’t know he could betray his own family. He may not realize it, but he’s hurtmyfamily. My tongue runs over my teeth as if I have chocolate stuck over them, and I’m sure my eyes are glowing as my and my bear’s emotionsintertwine with mine. I can’t quite distinguish this feeling, and I’ve only ever experienced it one other time, and that was when I killed Cassandra. I crave to have his blood under my claws.
I tilt my head in thought. I could shift right now. I may have to go to the human grocery store from now on, or maybe I could plead my case with the owner, but my bear is fully committed to killing him. I am fully capable of murder. My eyes stay focused on Milo. Every rise of his shoulders in response to every breath he’s taking has my fingers fidgeting to get closer. To stop his breathing.
I am a killer too, after all.
“That’s not the only reason I agreed to meet Willow, I swear,” he says, his worry lines from his forehead disappearing as he smiles. I let my fingers drop, and I hope Eddie and the guys know to swoop in. I shouldn’t take Milo on by myself.
“Why are you here, then?” Eddie finally speaks up. He moves to stand in front of me, though I don’t think Milo is here to hurt me. I mean, I think he would have been smart enough to do it before Eddie approached us. In fact, I think I want to hurt him more than any threat he could be to me. I see Jackson and Leo flank Milo’s sides as if to stop him from running, and I see panic build on Milo’s face. His eyes tracking around the aisle searching for an exit as he bends at the knees, getting ready to take off.
I’m not sure where, since we have him surrounded.
“I want Willow back,” he says, even though he is preparing to run away... again. How frickin’ hilarious. I can’t help the giggle that slips from my mouth, both at the admission and the actions that I don’t even think he realizes he’s doing.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Eddie says, his shoulders slump a tinge as he refuses to look at me.
“No, not all. Seeing her with you has angered me, and I want her back. I’m here to fight for her hand.”
“Milo—” I say, and his name comes out with a lisp since my canines are still out. I wasn’t a damsel, and I don’t need them duking it out. Even if my bear is getting riled up at the thought, she’s more excited about getting her own paws dirty.
