“Can you blame them?” He threw his hands up in the air. “Every time you step foot out of this house, you are being targeted. Until the danger is passed, you should stay here.”
I sighed, tired of having this conversation with him. “Julian. That’s never going to happen. I’m never going to be completely out of danger. I will always be the Durands’ daughter and, as such, a target for someone to use against them. I learned this a long time ago. But I can’t live my life in a bubble, walking on eggshells. That’s no way to live.”
Julian sat back down, cupping my face. “And I can’t lose you.”
“And you won’t. I promise.” I pressed my hands to his, a soft smile on my lips. “We’ll get through this, together.”
I didn’t know if I really believed what I was saying. I hoped I did. If anything I was giving us hope for a better future.
I just prayed I could live up to that promise.
Chapter twenty-one
Julian
Ithadbeenonelong agonizing week, waiting to be able to go to the black market and find out more about the note. During that time, I spent a lot of time deflecting Weaver from our plans and trying to keep Jack from running around on her own without at least one of us with her.
A task that was not easy. Especially, with her parents getting more suspicious by the day.
Now, the day had finally come. I had just come back from getting someone to cover my classes to find Jack standing in front of my apartment door.
“You shouldn’t be here,” I told her, brushing past her to unlock the door. “What happened to not taking unnecessary risks?”
Jack blew a raspberry, chasing after me into my apartment. “I was safe. I went straight from my bike to your apartment. No one even saw me.”
I gave her a pointed look. Not quite believing her. “You were lucky.”
“You’re only saying that cause you wanted to do this without me.” Jack leaned her elbows on the island while I walked around the apartment, getting ready for the mission.
“Maybe there’s a reason for that.” I paused next to her, pinching her chin between my thumb and forefinger, kissing her gently. “It’s not safe.”
I went to the entry way and opened the drawer there, pulling the gun I kept there out and tucking it in the holster at the back of my pants.
Jack stood there for a moment, brows furrowed and then shook her head.
“No, no way,” Jack argued, chasing me around the apartment. “You’re not going to leave me behind. I have every right to go see this black market dealer as you. More so since it’smethey’re trying to kill!”
“All the more reason for you to stay behind,” I shot back, gathering my weapons bag from my bedroom closet. “If you show up, then they might get spooked and not tell us anything. Or they could attack you right then and there.”
Jack groaned, throwing her hands up in front of her. “They’re not going to attack me in front of all those people. That breaks their whole secret group dynamic.”
I paused at the end of my bed, setting my bag down on it to turn to her. Placing my hands on her shoulders, I peered deep into her eyes.
“Please, Jack. Don’t fight me on this. We almost lost you once. Don’t make me go through that again.”
She placed her hands on mine, leaning her forehead against my chest. “Please don’t make me stay behind and wonder. I feel so useless. Helpless. Letting other people fight my battles for me.”
“This isn’t your battle.” I tipped her chin up. “This is the council’s — your parents’ — battle. You just got stuck in the middle of it.”
“Hello!” Tate’s voice called out, the apartment door slamming shut behind him. “Anyone ready to kick some ass?”
“Come on.” I pressed my lips to hers softly and led her from my room. “They’re here.”
Tate and Kyren came to a stop in the hallway, eyes locked on Jack.
“Uh… I thought we agreed not to bring Jack with us?” Tate trailed off, shoving his hands into his pockets.
“Oh, you decided, huh?” Jack glared at me before casting her gaze around the room. “I guess, you can all decide to kiss my ass because Iamcoming.”
