Page 42 of Thrown into the Mob

He sounded as though I’d be making that decision on my own and that we’d be parting. But perhaps I was reading too much into it. And “over” had to include Evander not being there. There was no future I could envision where my twin and I would be together.

“There won't be anything to go back to. My father’s dead, and whatever Evander builds from what's left won't include me.”

But how would I fit into a wolf pack? I didn’t see a future in La Luna Noir either. Madd had an equal say in this, and I hated the impression I was getting that we weren’t a couple.

“But life at La Luna Noir wouldn’t be too bad, and with me there to ease you into wolf-pack life, we could make it work.” He took my hand.

Ahhh. I’d been mistaken regarding his intention. “Maybe we could do that.”

After we’d cooked and eaten one type of pasta—Madd had bought three different ones—and we washed up, Madd leaned against me. We didn’t talk or make any plans, just sat in comfortable silence.

Outside, the world carried on, but Madd and I had to deal with our reality and it scared me, worrying I might lose him. Not because he didn’t care, but to a dragon shifter who was out of control.

TWENTY-ONE

MADD

We'd been at the apartment for five days when my mate put on his jacket after breakfast as if he had somewhere to be.

Neither of us was working, and we had plenty of food. Besides, the objective was to stay out of sight unless it was imperative we leave the apartment.

“Where are you going?”

“Out.”

I tamped down my irritation. If I’d said that to Flint he would have growled or maybe clipped my ear. But I reasoned that Conrad was used to giving information with as few words as possible.

“Out where?” I asked through gritted teeth.

He paused at the door. “There's a payphone at a laundromat ten blocks from here. I arranged a check-in schedule before we left.”

“What? With whom?” I put down my coffee. And why wasn’t I aware of any of this?

“Flint.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes, why would I lie about that?”

Okay, we were having communication problems and not for the first time.

“Every third day at eleven,” my mate continued. “These are incoming only. He phones and I answer.”

But we were on day five, which technically was the sixth day. “And you're telling me this now.”

He nodded. “The first one was on day three, and you were asleep.” He smiled as if he thought he’d done such a great job by taking control of the situation and not disturbing me.

I stared at him, and he furrowed his brow.

“You went out alone to a payphone without telling me.”

“I didn't want to wake you.”

I picked up the empty mug, needing something to do with my hands. “That's not the point.”

Conrad put both hands on his hips. “What is?”

I stood up because sitting down had me at a disadvantage, and my wolf warned me to control my temper. I paced the small room because my mate had walked out of a safe house alone in the middle of dragons hunting us and hadn't mentioned it.