AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Her lips twisted when I stopped directly in front of her. “I’m surprised you’re willing to stand so close to me, since apparently you fear I might try to assassinate you. After the night I’ve had busting my ass to protectyournieces, no less.”
I folded my arms across my chest and arched both brows. “Are we seriously going to compete over who’s had a worse night? I had to watch my own…” I glanced upward where the girls were presumably being entertained by the infinitely patient Marie and Chester and lowered my voice. “…sister and brother-in-law murdered in front of me. I then went on a wild goose chase orchestrated by Alexander Donnelly, only to be badgered by mywonderfulgrandmother about the fact you had apparently absconded with the girls. Andthen. Then I learned from my sister’s final Radiant Order that the very man continuing that pointless search with Finn by his side is likely the one who had my sister and her husband killed. And considering they were shot in the back by their two most trusted bodyguards? Excuse the fuck out of me if I’m feeling a little cautious right now.”
No sooner did that unplanned rant tumble out than my lips began to tremble and tears start to slip down my cheeks. I angrily brushed them away only for them to be immediately replaced.
Regina softened, stepping forward to wrap her arms around me tightly. I heard Shea and Connor grumble behind us, but I ignored their displeasure and returned my best friend’s hug. As always, being with the person who most understood me felt like coming home. Guilt that I’d ever even considered she might have betrayed me stirred.
“Fine. You win the Suckiest Night Award,” Regina murmured, pushing back just slightly while keeping her arms around me. “And Ava—I’msosorry about Kayleigh.”
I stepped away a little more so I could look into her eyes. “Just…just tell me her girls are okay.”
Regina’s arms dropped, and she gave a fierce smile. “Of course they’re okay. You entrusted them tomytender loving care.”
My lips twitched as I rolled my eyes. “This from the woman who refuses to babysit children until they’re at least 10 years old.”
She shuddered delicately. “Not my fault the baby-loving gene skipped me. Besides, you hired me tonight just for my superior magical skills. Marie and Chester have the actual babysitting under control.”
Connor snickered. “I’m sure the elite Pack bodyguards would love to hear you talking about them like that.”
Regina waved a hand dismissively. “Yes, yes, they’re also deadly and dangerous warriors. Who happen to play a mean game of Candy Land. And Chutes and Ladders. And Old Maid. Or whatever the fuck else it is they’re playing up there.”
Shea stepped closer and touched me on the arm. “Might I suggest we get the girls to a more secure location before we indulge in any more conversation?”
Connor let out a noise of agreement. “Yeah, and then we need to figure out how we’re gonna take Alexander’s traitorous ass into custody without getting Finn killed in the crossfire.”
I nodded thoughtfully and pointed toward the burned-out hulk of the limo in the distance. By now, the Fire Department had the flames extinguished and both Pack and human authorities swarmed around what little remained. “I agree we should take the girls somewhere more secure. I’m just not sure where exactly that would be.”
Regina glanced over her shoulder and shook her head ruefully. “True. There is the little fact that neither you nor I—nor presumably your Pack Spellbinders inside Donnelly Manor—blasted that limo into oblivion.”
I lowered my hand. “Yeah. It was definitely some unknown caster—or group of them, more likely—located behind the Manor. At least when they threw the spell. Now? Who knowswherethey are.”
Regina threw a thoughtful expression toward Shea. “I presume the St. Louis Pack has safe houses that you, as Maddox’s successors, know the locations of?”
Shea nodded. “Of course. But would secreting the girls somewhere like that really be a better option than having the might of the Pack protecting them?”
Her brow arched sardonically. “You mean the might of the Pack that—no offense—failed to protect both Kayleigh and Maddox Donnelly just a couple hours ago? I’mnotthrowing shade here. You’ve got a highly coordinated group of renegades working together on this. And given that one of the traitors is your uncle, the freaking Beacon of San Francisco, and at least two of them were Pack guardians, that makes it hard as hell to know exactly who to trust.”
Connor broke in, “So it might be better to send the girls somewhere nobody else knows with a few people that have already proven themselves trustworthy tonight.”
She nodded, and I asked one more question that had just occurred to me. “Speaking of Alexander being a traitor, how exactly didyoufigure that out?”
Her expression grew fierce. “He showed his hand a little too early, and he arrogantly assumed I’d be an easy mark simply because he’s twice my age with twice my experience. But I am very much my parents’ daughter. The rest of the story should wait until we’re somewhere a little safer.”
“Point taken. But…our ride went up in literal flames. I don’t suppose you got here in a limo?”
Regina rolled her eyes. “We were lucky I got us out at all. Didn’t have time to rustle up a limo and chauffeur. We used Uber.”
I glanced around our sizable group and sighed. “Somehow I doubt we can order a big enough vehicle from Uber. Plus that seems way too easily tracked.”
Shea drew my attention by giving a sudden grin. “Have we ever told you the story of Finn teaching us how to hot-wire cars during his rebellious streak?”
That had me blinking rapidly. “Wait. Finn I can imagine doing that. Connor I can see going along just for amusement’s sake. Butyou? Straight-laced, by-the-books Shea Donnelly learned how to hot-wire cars?”
“He’s also the best at it,” Connor said in a disgruntled tone. “That damned analytical mind of his.”
Shea’s expression grew just a little smugger. “Too true.”
“Well then.ThisI have to see! Let’s get the girls and their guardians so we can put those skills to the test.”
