“She’ll kick my ass if something happens toyou.”
Paige glanced between the two of them as shefollowed the conversation. “I’ll make sure to stay perfectlyhealthy then.”
“Do so.” Stefan glanced pointedly at herbefore turning his attention to Ian again. “Your niece or nephew isgoing to want to meet you one day.”
Paige felt her eyebrows shoot up; sheglanced at Ian as he smiled. “And I’m looking forward to meetinghim or her. Go on, get out of here before Issy comes looking foryou.”
Stefan nodded before walking over to theJeep. Ethan stepped forward and embraced his brother, hisunrelenting gaze held hers when he stepped away. “If somethinghappens to him, I’m coming for you.”
Paige had to fight the urge to cross herlegs to keep from peeing her pants from the abject fear his threatinvoked. Stefan had the eyes of a shark, but Ethan might be the onewho was as merciless as one. “Ethan,” Ian warned.
Ethan glanced at him, squeezed his shoulderand moved away. Emma stepped forward and threw her arms aroundIan’s waist. Her head barely came to the middle of his stomach. “Becareful.” Turning away from Ian, she focused on Paige. “Their growlis the worst thing about the men in the Byrne family, includingthis guy.” Ethan grunted when Emma gave him a sharp elbow to hisstomach. He scowled as he rubbed at the offended area, but whenEmma beamed up at him innocently, his stony expression melted intoone of love. “See,” Emma said to her.
“Sure,” Paige muttered.
Emma laughed and rested her hand briefly onPaige’s arm. She didn’t jerk away from the diminutive woman thistime because she was afraid of how Ethan would react, but alsobecause she didn’t find Emma as repulsive as she had before. It wasimpossible not to like the vibrant woman, even if she was abloodsucker, married to a guy who had looked at her like he wascontemplating crushing her skull more than a few times.
Emma skipped down the steps and toward theGrand Cherokee. Ethan focused on them again. “We’ll be here if youneed anything.”
“I know,” Ian said. “Let me know what thefamily decides, and keep me up to date on how everyone is.”
Paige glanced back and forth between them.She preferred to believe all vampires were heartless bastards, butshe couldn’t deny the love and concern she felt between them. Ethanreached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash. Unable tostop herself, her mouth dropped at the sight of what had to be acouple thousand dollars.
“I got some money for you while we wereshopping,” Ethan said.
Ian waved the money away when Ethan tried togive it to him, “I have money.”
Ethan grabbed hold of his hand and shovedthe wad into it. “You could always use more. Take it, just incase.”
Ian stared down at Ethan, a muscle jumpingin his cheek. He may be the larger of the two, but to Ethan hewould always be the little brother. He didn’t feel like parting onan argument, so he slid the money into his pocket. “See yousoon.”
Ethan nodded and jogged down the steps tothe waiting vehicle. Paige watched as the Jeep turned around anddrove down the road. Dust drifted up to fill the air long after theJeep had disappeared from view. She kept hoping to see some sort ofsign of where the driveway ended, but as the seconds turned intominutes, she knew she never would, not from here anyway.
“Let’s get inside,” Ian said and claspedhold of her elbow.
Despite the fact his touch sent a littlethrill through her, she pulled her elbow away from him. To herrelief, he didn’t try to reclaim it. “Who is Issy?” sheinquired.
“My sister, Isabelle.”
“She’s pregnant?”
“Yes.”
“Vampires really can have babies?” shesqueaked.
“I told you before my siblings and I wereborn this way.”
She almost tripped over her feet due to herfocus on him and his repeated revelation. “I’d really believed youwere lying.”
“There was no reason for me to lie to you,I’d thought you wouldn’t be keeping your memories of us, so whylie?”
“There are many reasons a vampire lies.” Sheignored his irritated look as a new thought occurred to her. “Sodoes that mean you’re going to start lying to me now?” shedemanded.
“No.”
“Because if you can’t erase my memories,you’ll hold me prisoner for the rest of my life?”
“Because I’m not a liar.”
