I stared at the phone in my hand in shock, her words rushing through me.
Sterling told her about our first kiss in Manito Park? Then he must have wanted me to trust her. The very least I could do would be to honor his name by meeting with her.
I rushed into Liv’s room and told her everything, relaying every word while it was still fresh in my mind.
“You think Sterling found a connection with Ruby or something and spoke to her before he died?” she asked.
“I don’t know, but only you, me, Sterling, and Vasquez know we had our first kiss in Manito Park. If she’s there, it’s because Sterling told her and we should trust her.”
Liv chewed her lip. “Things were just settling down here.”
“Liv! Don’t you want answers? Don’t you want to make Maz pay for what she’s done?”
A hardened expression came over my bestie. “Absolutely. We’ll leave at first light.”
Relief and trepidation wormed through me. This was what I wanted for so long, but Liv was right. We’d freed my mom and the others, there was peace for a moment, and I kind of wanted to just soak in that while I could catch my breath.
But God had other plans.
Chapter Eleven
“No. Nope. Not a chance in hell.”Luka crossed his arms and glared at me. We stood beside the dining table in Liv and I’s cottage. I’d actually grown to love this little house. Luka’s lips were tinged red from feeding. I’d been waiting until after to tell him Liv and I were leaving this morning.
“Umm, I wasn’t asking.”That was awkward. “I was telling you. I’ll be back in two days, tops. I won’t let you starve.” I winked.
Luka’s face fell. “This isn’t about me starving. I’m worried about you getting hurt.”
“Because then you’ll starve?” Where was my anger coming from? Oh yeah, he’d been married to Cassara over a week and wasstillmarried to the wench. Even after promising me an annulment.
His face fell. “You have no idea how much I care about you…”
His words sobered me, dousing my anger.
“And I guess that’s my fault. Aspen, please don’t go.” He reached out and pulled me into him, cradling my head under his chin.
God, I loved being held by him. It was so safe.
“My mom and Maple will stay and pose as your feeders. I’ll be back in less than forty-eight hours.” I had to go. I had to get the answers I sought.
He pulled back and grasped my chin, looking down at me. “I’ll send a guard of—”
“No. She said to come alone. I can’t spook her. Luka, I’m a hunter. I’ll be fine.”
Luka growled, “You can’t expect me to let you go alone!”
“I’m going with Liv,” I deadpanned.
“You know what I mean,” he said through clenched teeth.
Anger flared up inside of me. “I’m not your wife, Luka. You can’t tell me what to do and then go home to her!” I shouted and spun, storming away from him.
I threw the door open wide and the look on Liv’s face told me she’d heard everything. Shame burned through me. Luka had been nothing but nice to us, taking us in when we had no money and nowhere to go. But it felt at this point like he was toying with me. Promising me he’d leave Cassara and then doing nothing.
‘I’m sorry,’I sent through our bond. But he didn’t respond.
Great. The one person I was bound to forever was mad at me.
* * *
