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“I’m goingto call Shaw for advice,” Liam said. “By now I’m sure my brothers will realize that I’m gone. Or at least, Karissa will, and she’ll tell them. She is usually a lot smarter than they are.”
I couldn’t help but grin. Liam’s honesty was brutal but enjoyable… when it was directed at the King brothers. I wasn’t sure I’d appreciate it if he turned that keen insight on myself.
“I’m surprised you’re calling Shaw for advice,“ I said.
“Shaw tries to hide it, but he’s pretty smart. Why do you think someone would try to hide their intelligence?”
“Survival.” I hadn’t had to think about the answer. I blurted it out before I thought about whether or not it was a good thing to say out loud.
Liam just nodded thoughtfully. Then he pulled out his phone.
My heart seized. “Do you think Stone will be able to track you by the phone?”
Stone seemed like the type to keep tabs on everyone. Whether they wanted him to or not.
“Burner phone.” Liam held up the phone. “And if you’re worried about Stone’s car, since they do all have trackers in them, I ripped the electronics out.”
“Stone’s not going to appreciate that.”
“Amelia, Stone’s not going to appreciate any of this.”
After that, Liam was distracted calling Shaw, but those words echoed inside my brain. I was trying to be rational and think about who Stone really was, but I couldn’t help mixing him up with Nathan in my head in some ways. Although I knew Stone had meant it when he said I couldn’t provoke him into hurting me, Stonedidhurt people. He was all alpha just as Nathan had been. They were both big and imposing and arrogant. Stone might be nothing like Nathan in some ways, but I had spent the last five years protecting myself from a man that was too like him in too many ways. I couldn’t just lower my guard.
Liam tried a few times to talk to Shaw before sighing in exasperation. He held the phone out to me. “He insists on talking to you.”
I took the phone feeling nervous about talking to Shaw after I’d just run away. I worried that he would be really angry with me, and my stomach knotted. “Hello? Shaw?”
“Amelia.” Shaw’s voice was rich and deep as chai tea and honey, and it sent warmth flooding through my body. “It’s good to hear your voice. I worried that my brother chased you off forever.”
He’d surprised me. Touched me. And so I hesitated before I said, “I don’t plan on coming back, Shaw.”
“I’m sure you don’t, but that doesn’t mean you won’t change your mind. If you’re tolerating Liam, I have to believe you haven’t given up on us all.”
“Liam happens to be my favorite brother,” I snapped back.
“You said thatIwas your favorite brother.”
“I said that in the context of you havingbeenmy favorite brother.”
“Amelia,” Shaw sounded serious now. “Nathan’s on the move. You have got to be careful. He’s not on Longroad pack territory anymore. We lost him. Do you think he could know where you are?”
That constant fear that my siblings could have betrayed me choked my chest again. Into the silence, Shaw asked again, “Amelia?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. I need to get Dylan back to your pack. Things keep going wrong and I don’t know what to do. But I need to know he’s safe. While I try to help my sister.”
“Tell me where to come and I’ll be there.”
“Yeah, you and Stone and the rest of the King pack. You know you can’t control what Stone does once he knows—”
“Then Stone won’t know. Let me come, Amelia. Let me help you.” Shaw always sounded so cocky, but his voice softened when he said, “If you don’t want to see Stone, I’ll keep him away. But let me come. I can’t stand the thought of you being out there without protecting you.”
“What about Dylan?”
“If it’s what you need, I’ll take him back to King territory. Maybe I can get Cole to come with me. You know how much Dylan loves Cole.”
“I do, and I know how much Cole loves Stone. He’s not going to choose me over Stone.”
“You might be surprised.” Shaw didn’t sound playful for once. He sounded grim. “I’m glad you’re in our lives, Amelia, but you’re changing everything, and I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
