Page 64

Chapter 17

Caleb got to the end of the drive and slammed on the brakes. He sat, gripping the steering wheel. His mind had been fogged by grief and rage; now it cleared slightly, allowing his brain to function once more.

Regan knew something. He was sure of it. He also suspected that even after his demonstration, she didn’t accept that his father possessed the power to control her. Regan was arrogant enough to believe she could go up against Ethan alone and win.

Suddenly, he was filled with a conviction that he needed to get back. That he shouldn’t let her out of his sight.

He turned the truck around and headed back to the house.

He was aware, as he strode through the front door, that she was still here, and some of the tension oozed from his body. He found her sitting in the seat where he’d left her, with the phone clutched in her hand. She glanced up as he entered the room, a look of resignation settling on her features, and he knew he’d been right.

“I thought you’d be longer,” she said. “I meant to be gone.” She put down the phone, stood up and walked toward him. “Why did you come back, Caleb?”

“Because I realized I don’t trust you.”

A small smile curled her lips. “I would never hurt you.” She reached up, stroked a finger down over his cheek, and his skin tingled under her touch. “But you’re probably right not to trust me. I wouldn’t hurt you, but I can’t promise to protect you from everything else out there.”

“I don’t need protecting,” he growled.

She ignored him. “And I realized that you don’t need to be involved after all. Go back to your normal life, Caleb.”

“How can I?”

“Easy,” she replied. “Now sit down.” She put a hand against his chest and pushed gently.

He resisted. “Why?”

“Because you may as well be comfortable.”

“I’ll sit, if you tell me what’s going on. Why have you changed your mind?”

“Okay.” She nodded, and he sank into the seat behind him.

She looked down at him, her expression rueful. His instincts went on instant alert, but before he could move, Regan whispered a word, and every muscle in his body locked in place. Shock ripped through him, quickly replaced by outrage. She’d put a spell on him!

He could move his head slightly, and he glared at her.

“Let me go,” he ground out. “Now.”

“Don’t worry, the spell will only last a couple of hours, but I’ll be long gone by then, and you’ll never find me.”

Rage poured through him. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to calm down. He had to persuade her to listen. “Why are you doing this?”

She shrugged. “Ethan phoned. I know where he is, so I no longer need your help.”

“He told you?”

She nodded, and his brain scrambled to make sense of it. “The only reason he would tell you is because he knows he can take you, but he can’t take us both.”

“I did consider that, but I think he’s genuinely concerned for you.”

Panic was rising inside him. “Regan, listen to me. You can’t trust him.”

“I know that.”

“He can call your wolf.” She frowned, and he pressed the advantage. “You’ve seen it for yourself. He can turn you.”

“I won’t give him the chance.”