Page 45 of Married into the Mob

“Ending your life would have caused me immeasurable pain, and my life would be over too. My heart would beat, but I’d never again experience joy.” Was that too much? I didn’t want to make this about me, though that was sorta my pattern, my MO. Placing guilt on him along with everything else might break him.

He twisted around. “You love me.” I nodded, the L word on his lips sending shivers up my spine. “Adore me with every fiber of your being and would do anything for me?”

“Yes.”

“If we get out of this alive and go back to our normal lives, maybe we could be… I don’t know… friends. Good friends.”

“Of course.” A tiny fragment of my heart chipped off, and I hoped it wouldn’t cause an aneurysm.

My wolf complained that we were mates, not friends. But I ignored him. He was part of me, but he couldn’t dictate how Odell felt.

“How do we stop Draven and end this feud?”

There was only one way, but my mate couldn’t be involved.

I couldn’t rely on Flint and Ranger because they weren’t supposed to have anything to do with me.

It would be me.

And me!

“Oh, really? No! I can see the answer written on your face.”

“I should wipe it off.” I swished my hand left and right like windscreen wipers over my cheeks and brow. Odell giggle-snorted.

“You plan to kill him, and you’ll need a wingman.”

“There’s no we. It’ll be me. You stay put. There’s plenty of food, and if I don’t return in three days, you take that heap of trash called a car, drive to the closest town, and call Flint.”I’d need the phone so Odell would have to tie it to my wolf before I left.

“What? No. I’m not staying here by myself. Are you bonkers?”

Quite possibly.

“No one knows about the cabin. It wasn’t mentioned in my grandfather’s will.” It had been in the family for generations. Even if Stefan was brilliant at his job, he’d never find the paperwork at City Hall.

“You don’t understand, Hunter. You need me. I’m your driver.”

It’d been my intention to shift and have my wolf race back to the city.

He can’t come.My wolf was against the idea.It’s too dangerous for a human.

“We may not be mates in the romantic sense, but who else will have your back?” He peeked under the sofa. “No one else but me.”

I was about to end the life of a shifter intent on killing me, and my sidekicks were an ancient car and my human mate.

What could go wrong?

EIGHTEEN

ODELL

Hunter insisted I get some sleep, and while I doubted I’d close my eyes since I was so wound up, I traipsed into the bedroom and closed the door. But after getting into bed and twiddling my fingers, I got up and left the door ajar.

He’d left a lamp on for my benefit, saying shifters could see in the dark. Therewas a lump on the couch under the quilt, which I guessed was Hunter. He stirred and sat up as the door opened, and I felt as though I owed him an explanation.

“In case we come up with any ideas and want to discuss them during the night.”

His face was blank of expression, but his eyes lit up and I swore they twinkled. Once again, I clarified. “No, really.” The bedroom window allowed me to see outside, so claustrophobia wouldn’t overwhelm me. “It’s not ‘cause I’m scared of the dark or I’m worried Draven and his cronies might break in.”