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My heart pounded. “You saw him? Was he okay?”
She nodded enthusiastically. “He came out of the house and dove on a vampire. I like a man who fights like that. New terms. Chess, and I get to meet him. This Hack guy.”
“Yeah, whatever,” I said. I’d agree to anything right now. “Now, come to me before I become too weak.”
Serafina’s brows lowered. “Don’t get hurt. I have shit I still want to do and a man I need to meet.”
“I’ll be fine.”
Serafina pouted, but she did as requested, and there was a burst of burning heat as Serafina trailed a path from the link through my body to settle on my shoulder again.
Then I ran onto the main road and hailed a cab. “Queen and Strachan.”
I called Kilter from the cab, but there was no response, so I texted him that vampires were at the house and I was going to the gallery to meet Delara. I wasn’t going to mention Roarke, but Kilter already had trust issues and I wanted him to trust me, so I texted that Roarke was meeting me, too.
I hopped out of the cab at the park a block from the gallery and walked under the massive gray stone arches then headed up the path between two rows of flower gardens until I reached the circular path. I saw a man standing with his back up against a maple tree smoking a cigarette. He pushed off and sauntered toward me. A border collie ran across his path, barking as it chased a squirrel, and he called the dog back and they both walked past.
My skin prickled in warning and I turned to see Roarke. “Roarke.”
He nodded to a wooden park bench a few feet away. “We’ll wait here for your Scars.”
I shook my head. “No, I should go to the gallery. Delara is supposed to meet me there.”
“The gallery isn’t safe. They’re watching it.”
Oh shit. “I have to call Delara.”
“Yes. She can meet us here.”
I nodded. Taking out my cell, I tapped on the screen until Delara’s number came up then hit Send. “Delara?”
“Rayne,” she said breathless. “Thank God. You got out.”
“I’m at the park by the gallery. With Roarke.”
Silence then, “Stay there. Jedrik and I are on our way.”
“Are the others okay?”
“Yeah. A few scratches, but nothing Anstice can’t heal. See you in fifteen.”
“Okay.” I hung up and texted Kilter where I was.
“You used your Ink to get out?” Roarke asked.
I nodded. “Yes.”
He half-smiled and, with his hand on my lower back, guided me over to a park bench. He sat, but I hesitated. “You have nothing to fear, Rayne. You know I’d never harm you.” The streetlights glimmered off his face and there was nothing but softness. “I need you to understand why I couldn’t risk taking you away from Anton.”
I sat beside him.
He kept his voice low as he said, “I didn’t intend to work for your husband. I was searching for a place in this world to settle, but it was for the simple reason of peace, which is impossible when we’re hunted by Scars. Agreed, most of the CWOs are cruel and are ruined by greed, but a few of us remain who seek peace.”
“The compound wasn’t a haven, Roarke. It was hell,” I said, anger now overriding the anxiety. “You’re a Grit, if you didn’t like what my husband was doing, you could’ve stopped it.”
He sighed, lowering his head and staring at the ground. “Yes, perhaps I could’ve, but I would’ve never left you—never. Never risked your life. I care about you, Rayne.”
“You don’t even know me. Not really. That girl you knew was an empty shell of who I am. I’m not that person anymore.”
