“Thank you.” Even the paper felt differentwithin her grasp. She’d always loved the smell and feel of paperbefore. It had helped to get her through some of the most difficulttimes of her childhood, but now it felt as if the paper was somehowalive beneath her fingers. She couldn’t wait to sit down and seewhat she could create with her enhanced vision and touch. It wouldhave to wait, there was something else to take care of first. “Didit help you?”
Brian nodded. “I know where your father is,if you’d still like to know.”
Yesterday a resounding yes would have leaptout of her mouth. Today, she hesitated. She’d never thought shewould, but with Ian standing by her side, and a new life unfoldingbefore her, she found herself torn. Her father was her past; shecould walk away from him and start a brand new life, but then she’dalso be walking away from all of her father’s future victims.
He may have fled these mountains, but hewould always look for an opportunity to get at her. She’d never beable to move on with him always in her shadow.
“I would,” she said, but with a lot lessenthusiasm than she would have yesterday. She looked up at Ianagain. “I need it to be over.”
He stared at her, his azure eyes troubled,but he nodded before focusing on Brian. “Where is he?” Ianinquired.
“Vegas.”
“LasVegas?” Aiden blurted.
“No, Donkey Vegas,” Brian retorted. “Howmany Vegas’s do you know?”
Aiden glowered at him and flipped him thefinger before folding his arms over his chest. Paige fought asmile, not only did their exchange amuse her, but Brian’s words hadalso brought to mind Donkey Kong. Now all she could picture was agorilla throwing barrels down a Vegas street.
“So it sounds like we’re going to Vegasthen,” Ian said.
“Vegas it is,” she agreed. She turned herattention back to Brian. “I don’t know what you did to locate him,but whatever it was, is it the same way my father keeps findingme?”
“Not likely. There are few in this world whocan do what I can.”
Ian lifted an eyebrow when Brian finallyconfirmed there was something different about him. “And whatexactly is that?” he asked.
Brian flashed a smile as he shook his head.“That’s for me to know, not you.”
“Why didn’t you use it to find Tristan, whenwe were in Bermuda?” Ethan inquired.
“It was an island and we already knew he wasthere,” Brian drawled.
Ian shook his head, Ethan released afrustrated grunt, but no one tried to learn more, not even Ronan.“How does he keep finding me then?” Paige inquired.
“I know I lost him in those woods,” Iansaid.
“I have no doubt you did,” Ronan replied tohim before focusing on Paige. “He’s your father, there was alreadya bond there, maybe not a strong one, but it exists. He has fedfrom you more than once?” Ronan continued speaking when Paige’shand fluttered to her scars and she nodded. “He has your scentthen. Ian may have lost him in the woods, but he will have had aneasier time finding your scent again than someone who hadn’t had asmuch interaction with you.”
“So he will find me again,” she saidflatly.
“It could be tomorrow, decades or centuries,but he will most likely find you again if that is what hewants.”
Paige shuddered beside him, her hand wrappedaround his arm. “We have to find him.”
“We do,” Ian confirmed.
***
She almost regretted agreeing to this whenthey arrived in the city. The bright lights blazed against hereyes, blinding her and making her head pound. It was night, butapparently she now had to wear her sunglasses at night. Peoplewould think either she had a massive hangover, was a completed-bag, or just really liked the eighties song her mom used to playall the time. Either way, she was thankful for the thick, blacksunglasses covering her eyes that Ian had purchased for her. Ian’sfingers brushed against hers on the seat, helping to soothe some ofthe tension mounting in her.
Beside her, Aiden rolled down the window,leaned out and inhaled deeply. His midnight hair blew back from hisface as he let out a whoop of pleasure. Ducking back in, he turnedto grin at her and Ian. A devilish light shone in his eyes as heshook back his tussled hair. “It smells like sin.”
“And what does sin smell like?” Ian inquiredas he drove down the crowded streets.
“Oh,youknow what sin smells like,”Aiden replied with a waggle of his eyebrows.
Ian glowered at him, Paige’s smile slippedaway as jealousy burst forth in her. The force of it robbed her ofher breath, for a brief moment red marred her vision as she glaredback and forth between the brothers. Aiden’s eyes widened; heleaned away from her and became intently focused on the passingscenery once more. Ian plastered an innocent smile on his face anddraped his arm around her shoulders. He pulled her against his sideto kiss her temple.
