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“What’s going on?” Ryker asked again, coming closer.
“Nathan, this is my friend Ryker. Ryker, this is Nathan. He helps us around here.”
Nathan dropped his hand and offered it to Ryker. “Nice to meet you.”
After they shook hands, Nathan said, “You’re going to do a better job of taking care of this lovely girl.”
It didn’t sound like a question, nor did it entirely make sense, but Ryker nodded. “Yes, but she’s kicking me out tonight.”
“That’s okay. I’m here tonight.” Nathan nodded to me. “Let me ask you something, Addalee. If you were your demon, would you have possessed someone who wasn’t important?”
Ahhh!My demon yelled so loudly that my ears rang, and I fell backward. Ryker caught me. “Whoa. What’s going on?”
I wasn’t sure I could explain it. She hated Ryker, but she wanted Nathandead, and for just a second, it seemed like his eyes glowed gold when he stared at me. When I looked at him again, the illusion had vanished. Did I imagine the whole thing?
Chapter
Six
Ryker didn’t want to leave. Now that he’d gotten the information about my situation fully worked out in his head, he was rather sure I should spend twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week with him. It also seemed he loved me too. Or loved whoever I’d been when I’d been longing for his love. Now, I just couldn’t feel a thing at all.
“I don’t understand why you can sleep at Cruise’s house but not mine.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I am just as capable of giving you a bed and feeding you breakfast. You don’t want to touch? Fine, I’ll sleep on the couch or on the other side of the bed with a barrier between us. Surely the demon must prefer sleeping in warmth than out here.”
The poor boy. I would almost feel bad for him…if I didn’t want to kill him so badly.
I sighed. “If you could hear how she talks about you, you wouldn’t want me around you at all. For your own safety, I suggest you stay away. Secondly, I hardly ever sleep. Last night, I only slept because Cruise knew some trick to screw with the demon. Otherwise, I’m wide awake most nights. I haven’t slept more than a few hours a week for years. She lets me have enough to stay alive. Barely. You don’t want me with you. I won’t sleeptonight. Go home. See if you can make up with Jasmine. Maybe she’ll suck your dick.”
Oh, the last bit was entirely the demon, and I winced internally despite my expression likely hiding my discomfort.
He ran a hand through his hair. “Too bad she doesn’t know I would prefer to give head than receive it.” Ryker leaned over and kissed my cheek. “Someday, when you’re not dealing with this crap, I’ll show you.”
I didn’t want to be touched, and he’d just kissed me. Still, I remembered what happened at Cruise’s. I should probably just put up with people’s affection if they wanted to give it. Somewhere inside, I needed it.
“I love you, Addalee. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I should have manned up and done it. I was so afraid of losing you, it seemed better to say nothing to ensure I could still be part of your life.” Ryker looked pale. “Please be careful tonight, and I’m going to check on you tomorrow.”
He should just go fuck the hell off.
“Ryker, I’m not here all the time. I have to move locations. There are eight, maybe a ninth coming, tent cities around town. To avoid the hunters and sometimes the authorities, I move around a lot. If your cousin doesn’t hate me too much now, I’ll find you at our lunch stop. That’s the best I can do.”
He took two steps back. “I get that’s the best you can do, but it’s not the best I can do. I’m going to find you every day unless you come home with me. That’s the deal. Let her dwell on that.”
Ryker turned to leave, and I watched him move in the almost complete darkness. The fire in the pit lit the area, but otherwise it was night, and I was once again spending it all but completely outside. Nathan grabbed Ryker’s arm and they walked off together. What were they saying?
And what had happened with Nathan’s eyes?
“Was that real?”
Alone I could speak to her.
Someday you won’t care about speaking to me in public. Then you’ll know you’re really lost to me.
“That wasn’t what I asked you.”
I know.
So she wasn’t going to give me any answers? I didn’t want to sit in the tent and obsess. Maybe I’d go ask Nathan himself.Hey, Nathan, remember that weird thing a few minutes ago? Yeah, did your eyes go gold? Or is she messing with my vision, too, now?
Yep. That was just what I was going to do.
