Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 138169 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 691(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138169 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 691(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
“You make me feel so helpless.” She almost pouts before edging closer.
“You’re not helpless.” If anything, I’m the asshole who feels helpless right now, unable to stop the sharp tug of desire that bolts through me as I pull at the straps. My knuckles graze her arms, her shoulders, almost touching the sides of her breasts before pulling back like she’ll set me on fire. “You’re learning. There’s a difference. And you packed smart. You just overdid it. Notice I didn’t toss out the compass, sleeping bag, first aid kit, or spare clothing. Your head was in the right place.”
There’s also the clear outline of multiple inhalers and the rattle of pills from one of the interior zipper pouches.
I’m not going to point them out. I won’t embarrass her.
For some things, there’s no such thing as being overprepared.
When I finally step back, I realize she’s giving me another odd look.
Not that trembling, scared look. This is more measured, that enigmatic little smile on her lips again.
“What?” I ask.
“Nothing.” Talia shakes her head, rolling her shoulders and settling the straps with her thumbs, still smiling. “You’re just not like I expected before we met.”
“You had expectations? Before I gave you mouth-to-mouth?”
Gasping, she clamps her lips together, then lets out a loud laugh, shaking her head.
“Not like that. It’s just… you know. You hear things. Antisocial big-city guy, nice enough but everything slides off you like glass. No one really knows you, and around here that gets people talking. Rumors that you’re a serial killer or you’re in witness protection or something. I guess I was expecting you’d be—I don’t know—colder?”
Fuck.
Maybe I haven’t been as subtle as I thought in keeping people at a careful distance.
Still.
It’s all just dumbass rumors, even if they’re brushing the truth.
I shrug and lean over the back of the Jeep to coax Rolf down again. He can make the jump up, but the landing can hurt his joints.
“I don’t see how I’m not cold,” I mutter.
“I don’t mean you’re soft. Or warm. Or even approachable—”
“Thanks,” I bite off.
“Sorry! This is coming out wrong. Like, it’s not about what you say or how you say it,” Talia points out. “It’s about what you do. And what you’ve done so far is save me from an asthma attack, and now you’re saving me from breaking my back with this pack, and you’re worried about my safety. That’s enough to tell me you’re a pretty good guy, and that’s all that really matters.”
I stop cold, looking over my shoulder at her for too long, my heart thumping.
How naïve is this girl?
So bright, so sweet, so prone to seeing the best in someone just from a little commonsense preparedness and the fact that the other morning I was doing my job as a cop.
I get the same weird sensation on the back of my neck that I always do before I look up and see them on the tree outside my house. Two of them today, both crows I’m sure I’ve seen a hundred times.
Do you remember why you ended up in law enforcement, Micah?
Do you remember that once you wanted to be better?
Yeah, once.
Before you died, Jet.
Before I had nothing left in my unhappy life but hunting down the men most responsible for that.
The small-time dealer who sold him his stash is already in jail. I almost lost my job over that bust. Fucker shot at me and missed my throat by inches. I kneecapped him and broke both his legs.
He lived.
He’s lucky I let him have that much.
I’m not asshole enough to abuse my authority to murder a small-timer. Not when it was far more satisfying to deliver him into a lengthy prison sentence—and in exchange for reduced sentencing, that small-timer was happy to start blabbing.
Insane stuff at first. Yet as I started tracing leads and following the trail, they all pointed to Redhaven. It all started making sense.
The rot here really does run deep, right to the soil and soul.
I tear my gaze away from Talia’s sweet blue eyes.
If I’m not careful, she’ll wind up just as blood-soaked as the rest of this accursed place.
The damn crows are still staring with their black button eyes.
You’re putting her in harm’s way, asshole.
Is that what you want?
I grit my teeth. This isn’t the time to bark back at them like I do some days and leave Talia wondering how sane I really am.
I know crows don’t really talk. They don’t telepathically beam my dead brother’s accusations into my mind or whatever.
It’s all in my head. My own conscience, plus a dash of natural weirdness when it feels like the birds follow me around.
Too bad my conscience gets annoyingly loud at times. I remind myself that Talia would be interacting with Xavier without my involvement.
Then I tell my conscience to shut the fuck up entirely.