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“I don’t think they’re liars,” Tiber said.
“It’s your home. Your call if you want to let them stay,” Kaden said.
They both looked at me, as if I’d have some preference in this. Now that they had, I realized Idid. “We need numbers. They’re two more. If you’re looking for my vote, I say they stay, unless you think it’s going to be a problem.”
“We’ll find somewhere to put them,” Tiber said.
“Does this mean our location is getting out?” I asked. It sure seemed that way to me, but I hoped there was something I was missing.
“Most definitely,” Kaden said.
I couldn’t stop the groan that followed. The clock was really ticking down now.
“Come on. Let’s go welcome them,” Kaden said.
“Should we warn them about the fight coming with Herrick?” I asked.
Tiber and Kaden both laughed.
“We’ll let them settle in first,” Kaden said.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Kaden was watching as I finished lacing up my boots.
“You don’t need to come,” he said.
“I figured that out the first fifty times you mentioned it.” I continued tying my boots up, not looking at him. Maybe I could use the laces to strangle him if he tried to leave me behind.
He moved closer. “You do realize we can’t kill Herrick at this meeting because of the terms and the host?”
I straightened. Even the couple of inches I gained from my boots didn’t put much of a dent in the height difference. Still, I faced him as if I was every bit as tall as him.
“I know we can’t kill him there. But I have to be at this meeting. It was part of the terms, remember? Also, I need to sit across the table from him and show him I’m not afraid, that I’m not the same person he controlled, clinging to life.”
I had to be there to prove I wasn’t terrified of Herrick, because deep down, in a dark place I didn’t like to go, a small part of me was shaking at the thought of seeing him again. The easiest thing in the world would be to hide here and let Kaden handle things. But that wasn’t the person I wanted to be. It wasn’t who I’dallowmyself to be.
“I’m going either way. Are you going to support me or fight me on this?” I lifted my chin.
“If you need to go, you go. I’ll have your back, even if I’d rather you didn’t.” There wasn’t a blink or a pause as he gave me his word.
“Thank you.” I should’ve left it at that, but I couldn’t. “Why don’t you want me to go?”
“Because he wants to kill you,” he answered, as if he thought that was obvious.
“That’s it? That’s the reason?”
“You don’t think that's a good one?”
“No, it’s definitely solid. I just thought…” I shrugged, trying to shake it off, having no idea why I kept opening my mouth around him lately, blathering everything that was in my head.
“That I didn’t think you were capable?” he said, still staring at me.
“I don’t know. Maybe you thought I’d mess up your plan or something.” I went in search of a sweater, not wanting to see his face as he answered. That way if he lied to me, it would be easier to believe him.
“No. If anything, I’m afraid I’ll mess up my plan, because if he even looks at you the wrong way, I might kill him.”
There was so much fury in his voice that I couldn’t help but believe him. No one could be that convincing.
