Page 38 of A Token of Blood and Betrayal (Kennedy Rain #4)

The warmth in my stomach changed into something stronger, needier. Blake hadn’t kissed me. I’d wanted him to, but I understood now why he hadn’t. My walls had been nonexistent. I’d had no protections against his magic, and there was so much between us still, so much we’d have to overcome.

And something I still needed to do, a confrontation that very well might make kissing the last thing Blake would think about doing to me.

My phone startled me when it rang. I looked at the screen, half expecting to see Blake’s name pop up, but it was The Rain’s main line. I’d hoped it would take longer to realize I was gone, but apparently I’d been right and Garion had been counting every second

The Rain called again. Then Sullens tried from his cell phone. I could answer and tell them everything was fine—they couldn’t stop me now.

I chewed on my bottom lip, then decided I’d pick up the next call. They were undoubtedly frustrated, and I didn’t want them to worry too much.

The phone rang again. I answered it one second before my brain read the caller’s name.

“Sounds like you’re being you again,” Blake said, his drawl almost disguising the irritation beneath his words.

I wasn’t ready to hear his voice. It sling-shotted straight through my paper-thin defenses.

“I’m running a quick errand,” I said. “They want me in bubble wrap.”

“There’s a reason for that.” The background of creaks and rumbles signaled he was driving his truck. “Unless you’ve already forgotten you were bitten by a werewolf.”

“Very aware.” I slowed to make a turn.

“Or you’re not concerned about the fey king who wants to collect what you owe him.”

“I’m taking care of that.”

“Right now?” The question came a little too quickly and with a growl attached. He hadn’t forgotten I was keeping something from him.

“Not quite yet,” I said. “This won’t take long. I’ll be back at The Rain in an hour or so.”

“A lot can happen in an hour or so.”

“Very aware,” I said again. “I’m going to hang up. If you still want to talk later, you can give me a call.”

“I want to talk to you now.” Not a growl. A confession. A reach for something more, a hope that the intimacy we’d shared in the hallway wasn’t just a fleeting thing.

My heart cinched up tight. I panic-ended the call, afraid he’d hook me in, that I’d fall even further. I already hurt inside and out, and the gulf I was about to open between us would only bring more pain.

He called back. My good hand gripped the steering wheel, and I stared straight ahead while I tried to use logic to snuff out the want that burned in my stomach.

I was so focused on all the insurmountable obstacles between us that I didn’t realize the vehicle driving toward me was his until I noticed the sway of the truck bed.

We stared at each other as we passed. Once he was behind me, I glanced at my rearview mirror. Even without brake lights, I knew he was stopping. The two-lane road wasn’t wide, especially for his truck’s awful turn radius, but he made it work, driving partially into the ditches on both sides.

Damn it. The last thing I needed was for him to follow me. I should have taken the back way through the foothills. It would have added a good half hour to the drive but better the extra time than Blake’s interference.

I glanced back again. Surely I could outrace a truck held together with rope, rust, and a ridiculous amount of duct tape.

He called a second time. Then a third. I made a right-hand turn onto a slightly busier road. I’d only be on it for a short time. Problem was, people I encountered on that road tended to drive exactly the speed limit.

I glared at the sedan in front of me, which chose to drive five miles per hour under the limit. I had to slow down. That made it easy for Blake to catch up. He was right behind me when he called again. You’d think he’d realize—

He slammed into my bumper.

I yelped and grabbed the steering wheel with both hands, which freaking hurt my right arm.

His truck drifted back, then quickly closed the gap again.

Bam!

Never mind my previous thoughts, I was elated he hadn’t kissed me.

I punched the button to answer his call. “You should know better than to attempt to murder me.”

“And you do know better than to leave The Rain without an escort,” he replied smoothly. “I’m hurt I didn’t get invited on this road trip. Where are we headed?”

Frustration made me shake my head. “You shouldn’t be following me.”

“You need me.”

I hated how true that felt. “Just turn around and go home.”

“Can’t do that now any more than I could on the way to Cincinnati. Maybe we should stop for barbecue. Get a hotel. Two beds again, if you insist.”

Why was he so relaxed about this? He was a dominant werewolf. He should be furious and demanding I turn around; he shouldn’t be referencing the past and making jokes.

I wanted to end the call. My car was already beaten up. It didn’t matter if he put a few dents in the bumper.

“I need to know where you’re going.” His words were calm even while they bordered on an order. I stared out at the road. If he didn’t already suspect my destination, he’d figure it out as soon as I bypassed the highway.

A mile passed without either of us saying anything, then right on cue, he cursed. “This is a bad idea.”

“I got his message,” I said, zero inflection in my voice. “I’m going to make sure he gets mine.”

“What message?” Ah, there it was, that low-level growl hidden just under his words.

“The one that left me bleeding out in a parking lot, hoping I’d go furry. Unless there’s another message he plans to throw at me.”

“I told you the pack had nothing to do with that.” His irritation rose another notch.

“You say that a lot, and I disagree. He either sent them or he conveniently looked the other way when they entered the city.”

“Most of the city is neutral ground.”

I snorted. “He’s the strongest alpha in North America. He has people watching every bar, club, and backstreet. Pack or not, the wolves wouldn’t have made it within a mile of my apartment if he hadn’t let them.”

“It’s not that simple,” Blake said.

“Then explain the complication.” I waited for his response. He didn’t give one, and that made me as irritated as he was beginning to sound. “How is it complicated, Blake?”

His silence dragged on a few more seconds before he sighed.

“The wolves… They’re the reason you had to drive yourself home the other night.

We’ve been looking for them. They’re not local.

They don’t belong to an alpha.” He paused, probably thinking about how little he could reveal and still get me to turn around. “These have organized.”

I looked into the rearview mirror. “Into a pack?”

“No. That’s why we’re investigating. They’ve been testing our borders more than they’re breaching them.”

Road noise and the vibrating squeak of my bashed-in hood made me turn up the volume. “What’s that mean?”

“We don’t know. Thus the investigation. We thought the increased number of strays was temporary.

Lehr said it’s happened in the past when a new Rain takes over.

This activity didn’t fit the pattern though, so we figured someone was organizing them in an attempt to weaken Lehr or stretch the pack too thin.

The attack on you changes everything. I’ll talk to Lehr. You don’t have to worry—”

“I’ll talk to Lehr,” I said. “No more intermediaries.”

“Kennedy.”

“You don’t have to be there.” Then, because he needed to listen, I said, “You shouldn’t be there.”

He was either too frustrated to hear the plea in my voice or he didn’t care. He let out a sound that was definitely more a growl than a sigh. “You’re the one who wanted open access to The Rain. We warned you this could happen.”

Wrong thing to say. “This isn’t about open access. If what you’re saying is true—”

“It is.”

“—the wolf—the wolves—were organizing, and Lehr did nothing about it. He allowed them to target me.”

“We didn’t know they were organized until two days ago.”

“And I still didn’t get so much as a text saying ‘Hey, you might watch out for wolves who want to eat you.’ In fact, you had the perfect opportunity to tell me the other night. Instead, you ordered me to drive your truck home.”

“I had to sprint two miles over hard terrain—”

“You should have told me.”

“I’m telling you now.”

My hand tightened on the steering wheel. “Because you want me to turn around.”

“Of course I want you to turn the f—”

His eyes were probably gold. I’d bet he was white-knuckling the steering wheel too. If I was lucky, the damn thing would fall off, and he’d be forced to slam on the brakes.

“How did I become the bad guy here?” he demanded, his voice barely controlled.

“You’re Lehr’s lackey.”

“He’s my fucking alpha, Kennedy!”

“Fine. Great. You’re right. I forgot you’re more than happy to do his bidding. Thanks for reminding me where we stand.”

I jabbed my finger on the button to end the call. Anger seared my lungs. I let it burn there because it smothered a guilt I shouldn’t be feeling. My words had been true.

But they hadn’t been fair. He was a werewolf and magically linked to Lehr and the pack.

He had to do what was best for them. I knew that.

Calling him out for something out of his control was wrong, but my where we stand comment?

That had been mean. I couldn’t continually push him away, then suddenly sling those words at him.

Lehr’s HQ came into view, and a wave of anxiety swept away the urge to call Blake back and apologize. I focused on regulating my emotions and building my walls. I wouldn’t second-guess myself. This confrontation needed to happen.