AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and said, “I always felt connected to you, but I wouldn’t let myself explore the feelings. Not only because my job was dangerous, but because I’d been afraid that one day I’d kill you in a rage, the way I thought my mother lost her life.”
“I’m glad he’s not going anywhere. I like him. He’s got red eyes, and that’s my favorite color.”
Lucian’s dad chuckled. “You’ve got a sweet mate, Lucian. I’m happy for you.”
“I think we have a date, right?” Mia said, wiggling her brows slightly.
“Yeah. My car is at the tattoo shop, though, along with my wallet. And we shouldn’t go to my place. Not only because it’s too far, but because it’s part of my old life and I don’t want to stay there with you.”
She sighed. “And it’s probably a terrible idea to go to my place. The protectors are watching it, and then we’ll be interrupted either by Mal or Acksel.”
His dad stood and moved to the front door, where he lifted a set of keys from a wall hook. Then he went into the kitchen for a few minutes. When he came back to the family room he was holding a stack of cash and the keys, which he handed to Lucian.
“My truck is parked behind the house. You can return it when you come visit next time. Get a nice hotel room somewhere and take the time to enjoy each other before you head back to Wilde Creek.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“We could come to visit on Sunday, maybe for dinner?” Mia suggested.
“Steaks again?” Jasper asked with a chuckle. “I’d be happy to have you here for dinner.”
“We’ll be here,” Lucian promised. “Thanks for everything.”
“You bet.”
Lucian led Mia out the back door to the truck. It was an old, beat-up work truck, and the door creaked as he opened it for Mia and helped her climb in. He settled in the blue-upholstered driver’s seat and started the engine. It rumbled to life. He waved at his dad, who was standing at the door before driving around the house and heading down the drive.
“I feel weird without my phone,” Mia said. “I keep thinking how easy it would be to just call a hotel and make a reservation, but I don’t have it.”
He chuckled. “Mine is with my car. But I need to destroy it anyway, because it was used when I was a hunter.”
“Mine was in my pocket when the ravens took me.”
“Looks like we both need new ones.”
His dad’s truck didn’t have a GPS, so Lucian got on the highway and watched for signs for a hotel.
“Do you think Mal is still watching your place?”
“Yeah,” she said. “Either him or some of the protectors. Two of them were there when your friends came for me, and I defied them. I’ll have to answer to Acksel for that.”
The berserker sat up, wanting to take her place for any punishment. Or maybe beat the alpha a few times for good measure.
Just don’t kill him.
“What will happen?”
She shrugged. “Probably nothing. Brynn is my best friend, and Acksel isn’t too big of an asshole anymore since he’s mated her. But I might not be allowed to hunt on the next full moon, or something like that.”
“Won’t that make your wolf crazy?”
“Nah. I mean I’ll just have to find something else to do with my energy.” Her voice slipped to a sultry tone at the end, and he had the urge to pull over to the side of the road and play.
“I’ll happily help you use up the extra energy.”
“I thought you would.”
While he drove, they talked about the future. At least some of it. He was still planning to make things right with Mal and get back into working in the security business. He’d been hands-off for years because of his job, but now that he wasn’t a hunter anymore, he’d need a way to take care of Mia.
