“I don’t think I gave enough credit to Slade’s warning about siphoning, especially when it’s already been hard enough to wrap my mind around the wolf development. But intrusive thoughts aren’t anything new, they’re just a hell of a lot more frequent andwaydarker than I’m used to dealing with. I’ll be okay as soon as I clear out a space in my brain to chuck them so that they quit distracting me, promise.”
Goosebumps rise on my skin as I choose my words carefully. “You said that Slade and Bo managed to shift back on their own. You can’t keep helping Damian through the process if it’s hurting you; he can deal.”
She pivots in her chair to face me, raising an eyebrow. “I haven’t been. I think you’re forgetting not only the guys that tried to abduct me from the police station, but another key fact; I didn’t get to grow up practicing like Slade did. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing, I’m figuring it out as I go. I went from being human, to soul-sucking off six guys in the span of a week. It’s been a bit of a mind fuck, thank you very much, but I like to think that I’m managing fairly well, all things considered. Well, if we ignore the fact that I came out on the other side of an identity crisis with a split personality, but that’s neither here nor there.”
It’s eating away at her sanity. We’re a curse, a plague, and we’re going to kill the only good thing to ever happen to us.
“You should talk to somebody about this.”
She rests her cheek on her hand, bracing her elbow on the table. “I am, I’m talking to you.”
Slapping my palm down on the table with a growl, I snap, “Don’t be cute. Somebody that can help you, and we both know that’s not me.”
Naturally, Hunter chooses that moment to walk in, and if looks could kill, I’d be beheaded, resurrected, and murdered three times over. “Isn’t that the damn truth.” He takes up his usual post leaning against the opposite wall, arms crossed, and glaring my face off with a scowl.
Mentally seething, we fall into mutual silence, getting back to work while leaving her to deal with everything on her own like she’s accustomed to. I swore that I’d show her she could rely on other people without it being a weakness, and I’ve already failed her, time and time again. I don’t deserve to be by her side, but I’ll be even more damned than I already am before I let Hunter worm his way into the position.
I wonder if he’d hate me so much if I told him that I buried the evidence of how he and Damian murdered Noah Laroque before she could see it.
Chapter 14
Kaige
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You can do this. Worstthat will happen is she’ll awkwardly accept it and brush you off; that’d be nothing new. Or, you know, laugh in my face. Deep breaths, Kaige. Women love books, so obviously, she’s going to be thrilled you showed up at her door.
After a little more pep talking, I rise to my full height, striding down the hallway with my head held high, and stomach full of rusty nails. If she doesn’t have an interest, I can respect that, but the timing isnevergoing to be perfect, so I can’t keep putting this off. I’m not going to live with the regret of never taking my shot.
Approaching her bedroom door, I raise a fist to knock, only to pull to an abrupt stop before my knuckles can make contact with the wood. The fine hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, the air charged with an electric tension that prickles across my skin. My senses aren’t the best during the day, but I’m still able to pick up on the muffled, aggressive tone on the other side of the door.
“You cannot be this fucking stupid, Sabrina.” It’s a feminine voice, enough static accompanying it that it only takes a second to click that it must be her mom. The elusive Annika Slaughter that’s been hunted for the majority of my life like some mythical creature, a story of rebellion told in hushed whispers under the cover of night.
Though I’m not sure why the Slaughters want her back, because she sounds like a total bitch.
“Hence why I’masking youto clarify some very important pieces of information that you’ve conveniently never brought up.” Though she’s attempting to keep things civil, Sabrina’s clearly struggling, volume steadily rising.
