Page 30 of Same Thing

“Says you who are perfect in every way,” she muttered, staggering up to her feet. She wiped her eyes. “I can’t even physically imagine what my reflection looks like right now.”

“Well, it’s taught me something big.”

“And what’s that?” she whispered.

He sighed. “That even when you cry, you still look pretty.”

She blinked twice. Perhaps this was a dream. “Flatterer.”

“Not my style. I’m telling the truth.”

“Where have you been the last two days?” she asked.

His eyes went dead. “Moving.”

“Moving? But you just got here.”

“Yeah, well the office manager came banging on my door in the middle of the night and said someone turned me in.”

“Oh my gosh. For being a werewolf?”

He nodded.

“Who knew?” And then it hit her. “Jackson did this, didn’t he?”

“He needed to get rid of me. Jackson already had it coming. But this?” he gestured to her face. “Making you feel scared?” He shook his head, and didn’t fill the space with threats, but the look on his face lifted the fine hairs on her forearms.

Liam really was dangerous.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“To my side of town. Jackson can’t reach you there. Can I see the messages?”

Nory wrung her hands nervously. “It’s embarrassing.”

“I won’t judge.”

“He pretended to be you. You’ll be angry.”

“I need to know what’s happening,” he rumbled, and right now, his voice barely passed for human.

She swallowed hard and unlocked her phone, then opened it on the text thread, and handed it to him. “I don’t want to talk about it after you read it. I’m hurt. I don’t want to replay it.”

He nodded, and she left him there reading the texts between her and Jackson, while she packed an overnight bag, and clothes for work tomorrow.

An overnight bag…and work clothes for tomorrow.

Nory froze on shoving her work uniform into her duffel bag. What was she doing? She didn’t even know where they were going to stay the night. Liam didn’t have a place here anymore. He’d said they were going to stay on his side of town, but that sounded dangerous. She’d never even met another werewolf besides Liam.

“Liam,” she called softly, knowing dang-well his wolf ears would hear her just fine.

He didn’t answer.

She padded out to the hallway, where she could see him sitting on the couch, elbows on his knees, hands clasped in front of him, and he was staring down at his knuckles. Her phone lay on the table, face down.

“He shouldn’t have said that.”

She hadn’t a guess what part of the messages he was referring to, so she perched on the arm of the loveseat. “Said what?”