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“I doubt it,” I say, noting the tension in Max’s body, the way he storms up the shoulder of the road. I hop out of the car and join Max in front of it. “Hey! Hey!”
He finally stops and turns to face me, although he hangs his head and stares at his boots. “I don’t think we should go where your brother is,” he says.
I cock my head back. “Excuse me?”
“We should just leave it to the Enforcers.”
Is he kidding me?“What the hell are we?”
His hands curl into fists. “Or we can just blow up the whole town and not even bother fighting him.”
Blow up the town?“Like fuck we can!”
He rubs the back of his neck like a nervous tic. “The Enforcers can do a quick sweep, clear any of your pack out of there beforehand. Leave it for Simon, then, I don’t know, fucking firebomb the entire place.” He finally lifts his eyes. “Then all this will be over.”
“Max, that’s insane.”
“Is it? Better to keep you away from him, then to let you become him.”
I search his eyes. “What do you mean?”
“Asha, I don’t want to be the reason this magic destroys you. I don’t know how it works. I don’t think any of us do, but it can’t be good for you to be around your brother. It intensifies everything it…” He clenches his jaw. He’s afraid. He won’t admit it, but I can smell the fear on him.
He doesn’t need to be. Not if he knows what I can do. Not if he understands what I don’t quite understand about myself.
“You know, when he had you all hostage, I’m pretty sure I could have killed him then.”
His expression twists to one of shock. “Then why didn’t you?”
“Because I didn’t know what that would do to you and Braxton. I needed to get you to safety and then take the risk, because I wasn’t sure what would happen. I just… can’t be without you.”
It takes me by surprise when he seizes me and pulls me in for a passionate kiss. I breathe him in as our lips smash together, and desire uncurls within me. This is the man I can’t seem to get enough of. This man is tight-laced, a leader, and a passionate lover.
My hands grip his shirt, holding him close as his lips slant over mine. His tongue slips into my mouth, where mine tangles with his, drawing a groan from his lips. My wolf practically purrs with the touch, with the contact, with the need for more. So, I rub against him in frustration when he pulls away.
He holds my face and says, “I can’t lose you.”
It takes me a minute to calm my racing heart, my desire to fuck right here and now. But I have to, because this conversation is too important. “I can’t risk hurting my pack, Max. Or destroying what’s left of my own when we’ve already lost so much. I can do this. I’ll just have to feed on all three of you first. I think that will be enough.” And learning if I can use the silver light to kill, or if I have to touch the darkness.
He glances back at the truck where two faces stare out at us, contorted by obvious bewilderment. Reluctantly, Max replies, “Alright. But, Asha, no lies. We’re in this together.”
“No more lies,” I promise.
Then he pulls me against him once more. “Asha, I’m a patient man, but I’m going to need to have you again soon.”
“Have me?” My voice shakes.
His gaze holds mine. “I’m going to pin you down, spread your thighs, and taste you again. Do you understand me?”
I’m trembling with need. “I understand.” And I approve.
This man… he was a good choice.
TWENTY-ONE
Asha
“We’re ahead of him,”Orson announces from the bed of our motel room, sprawled across the mattress with his laptop open beside him. I sit on the edge next to him and review the screen. A trail of bright green splotches chart Simon’s movements. “We’re here,” Orson says to me, pointing. He drags his fingertip along the screen to the last location where magic was picked up by his algorithm. “If he keeps the same pace, we still have a good amount of time before he reaches your hometown.”
