I choked on the question, wishing the lights would turn on.
“The difference is your breaking point,” I said, listening to the way his breathing fell away from me, wishing I could follow. “Giving up happensbeforeyou fall; acceptance comes during.”
Blade didn’t respond; he only turned and yawned into my hair.
“I am glad you’re home, Daphne,” he said, shutting his eyes. “And thank you for keeping me in the middle of you.”
I wanted to cry, but there were no more tears left in my body.
Blade drifted off to sleep, and all I could do was stare into the shape of his room.
BANG.
thirty-seven
Wolfe: Dreadwolfe
The car crept up the lengthy driveway in the silence of Marianne’s not-so-subtle piece-of-shit Victorian mansion tucked away in Madison Park. The color of it reminded me of dead blood and the way it loses its vigor after sitting inside a body for too long. She probably chose it on purpose.
“Are you sure you want to do this alone?” Threx asked, eyeing the four goons walking the perimeter.
For someone people wanted gone, Marianne’s security was lazy at best. Either she did not like the idea of her personal life dripping into her sanctuary, or she carried the same spark of untouchable denial that came with wearing a crown.
“Yes. Also, I want you to return to the clubhouse and send Jessie to pick me up. Nathem is in charge while we are on lockdown, and by now, he is probably losing his shit.”
Threx clicked his teeth, giving me the side-eye.
“Did you mean what you said to Daphne?” he asked, still not sure where all the pieces would land. And in truth, neither did I. There was a lot riding on this conversation I was about to have, and no matter how I spun it, nothing came out clean.
“There are a million different ways this could go, and in none of them is she mine.”
I hated the words as they burned out of my mouth, clinging to my skin.
“Not true,” he said, clearing his throat as he took a breath. “Because Daph won’t go down without a fight, and to her, you’re worth it.”
I blinked, pulling on my gloves.
“Do me a favor and convince her that I am not.”
“No fucking way.” He smiled. “They’ll sweep you,” he added, changing the subject. “Are you wearing your special shoes?”
No one ever checked Converse. It was the primary reason I wore them so often. Well, that and I liked how they felt on my feet. Years ago, I had a custom gun made that fit into a removable sole, just in case. It was small, but it got the job done.
“Yeah.” I took a breath and pulled a fresh hoodie over my head.
“Who has dinner at midnight?” Threx arched a brow, trying to keep me steady, but I wasn’t afraid. This had nothing to do with fear. While Daphne might exist outside the realm of cold logic, this was my playground. Here, I was the mathematician, and as long as I played the correct numbers, I would win either way.
“Be smart,” Threx coached, his voice cleaving through the icy silence that swept through the vehicle, and I smiled. This was his version of a pep talk. A shitty one, but I appreciated it.
“You too,” I mumbled back. “And if shit goes down, get our guys out. Give them a head start. Don’t let those fuckers take us.”
“Okay,” he said, low, almost tired, as he kicked the car into reverse, and I met the frigid, wet air of Seattle.
“Wolfe!” A man in a tailored suit stepped forward. “She’s been waiting for you. Come with me.”
I gave a brief nod and slammed the door, following one of her goons like the little dog she wanted me to be.
“Right through here,” he stated, and I narrowed my eyes. I had visited her home many times, but she had never led me through a side entrance to a staircase before.
