Page 18

Larc and Kyle are giving each other dirty looks, and Maggie offers to drive. Kyle barks at her that there’s nothing wrong with his driving. The car ride home is quiet. Ben’s formidable threat lingers, leaving us all to our thoughts. Once the car is parked, we exit the SUVs, but it seems the anger hasn’t subsided. Larc and Kyle are verbally fighting.

Kyle says.

“Did you have to break the asshole’s hand?”

Larc steps toward Kyle.

“Yeah, I did. He touched Ivy.”

“So what? The guy fucked her for years.”

I flinch at the words. Wrong thing to say to Larc. His punch knocks Kyle a couple of feet back. Kyle comes after him by crouching and driving his shoulder into Larc’s stomach, slamming him to the ground. We’re all shouting for them to stop, but it’s no good. Larc swings his legs, catching the back of Kyle’s, and drops him to the ground. Larc straddles his waist, punching him in the face. Thank God the other men come to break up the fight. It takes four of them to pull Larc off Kyle. They’re standing there, heaving in air, faces bloodied, giving each other a death stare.

Kyle glances at me and says.

“I’m sorry, Ivy. My comment was uncalled for. I didn’t mean it.”

My hand fists the top of my coat as I gnaw on my lip and give him a nod to indicate I accept his apology.

He turns to Larc, and adds.

“I was pissed, and it just came out.”

Larc’s hands clench as he shouts.

“She’s my mate! Your future Luna, and you insult her like that?”

“I said I’m sorry. You broke the guy’s hand, which made matters worse. He’s coming after us, Larc. All of us. If he becomes governor…”

He spreads his arms wide.

“We can forget all about this place. He’ll take the land and wipe us out.”

“I’ll handle it, Kyle. It’s my fucking job.”

“So is keeping us safe. You risked it all because…”

His eyes wander to me, then downward, but he doesn’t say my name.

Larc shakes off the guys who are holding him, and through clenched teeth, he says.

“Because I love my mate. And I didn’t risk anything. He wants his money back and Ivy. Our mission with the FBI cost him three million. He won’t drop it. Or Ivy. Breaking the fucker’s hand didn’t make a difference.”

Larc entwines his fingers through mine and walks away. I’m jogging to keep with his strides, periodically looking over my shoulder at the group. Maggie is berating Kyle, who has his hands on his hips, head downward and shaking it. The women scatter toward the bunkhouse. I stumble, and Larc hauls me into his arms, carrying me home. My fingers wipe at the blood on his temple while I stare at his profile. He’s too upset for us to have a discussion.

At home, Larc goes upstairs to clean up, and I prepare dinner. It’s a good guess Larc won’t want to go anywhere until he gets his anger in check. He’s never hurt me, no matter how mad he’s gotten, but I’ve learned when to give him space and let him simmer. While he does, I go over everything in my head. Dammit! I can’t believe we ran into Ben. He should be in jail, not running for governor. If only the public knew, except it would expose everything. Larc. Werewolves. Ben could spin it to stress the danger to the public.

Everything was going so well I should have prepared for the other shoe to drop. This fiasco is my fault. Remaining here endangers everyone’s lives, even those saved from the human trafficking sites. If Ben knows about werewolves, then he’s aware of our community and the other werewolf communities. I swipe at my face to wipe away the tears. Ben’s intimidation is real, and he’ll do anything, no matter how horrific, to get his money and me back to sell again. I’m hugging myself when Larc comes downstairs.

“Declan contacted me. He needs the group on another mission.”

I walk up to him.

“Let’s eat something and—”

“There’s not much time. It’s a last-minute situation, so I’ll gather the men and head over to the meeting place.”

For some reason, fear prickles my skin and my insides churn, so I wrap my arms around Larc. He hugs me back, resting his chin on top of my head. The tears sneak up, but I swallow them down. I can’t have Larc worrying about me.

Pulling away, I say.

“At least let me make you a sandwich.”

“Okay, love.”

Larc packs his travel duffel bag while I prepare a sandwich, chips, and a granola bar for him to take along. He gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and heads for the door. The unease hasn’t subsided. I have a sixth sense something is going to go terribly wrong, and I don’t want this to be the last conversation we have.

He grabs the door handle as I run over to him. “Larc.”

His head turns to me.

“Because of your big heart, you’ve saved so many people.”

I’m an inch from him.

“But you’re my world. My everything.”

His hand cups my face.

“I love you, too, little sprite.”

I kiss his hand and pull him down for a kiss. This will be our last since I realize now what must be done. He’ll do this mission, and when he returns, I’ll be gone. This community has done so much for me. There’s no way I can bring danger to their doorstep. I might not be strong like him, but I can fight with everything I have to keep the demons at bay. Even if it means finding Ben and convincing him to leave Larc alone by making up the money he lost through sex. I can become his own personal whore. The thought causes bile to rise in my throat, so I shift to the current moment.

Larc breaks the kiss, gives me one of his toe-curling smiles, and says.

“It shouldn’t be too long. A quick meeting and then we put our plans into action.”

Larc hauls the duffel bag over his shoulder.

“Keep our bed warm for me.”

And he opens the door, walking down the trail to the vehicles.

With no one in sight, I close the door, pressing my back to it, and release a waterfall of tears. My sobs plague my body with jolts. At some point, I fall asleep on the ground next to the door. I’m all done crying. It’s time to act.