Covet

| Means to an End

"I don't know. I'm not her descendant. We're linked with Lucille as our former Alpha. This won't stop for her until you link with her and find out the rest of your answers directly."

For that very reason, his words made me shiver. The entire town was against me or needed something from me. This was a certainty above all others. I needed to be sure who I could trust. "Can you say with conviction that I will be safe with you? What if you shift again?"

He thought it over for a moment. "No," he said in all honesty. I'd be lying if I said the process of having you around if that happened, if we are not more familiar didn't have risks. That's what I tried to prevent. But there's a gigantic difference between the threats you've conjured in your head and what would actually happen. Last night, agreed. That wasn't the norm. Luke sees it as a gift, a privilege. No one is asking you to jump into the unknown here. That's what I was trying to prepare you for at a pace that wouldn't scare you."

"You failed." I hadn't wanted this conversation out in the open, on his turf. Standing his ground, I could see the conflicting emotions dancing like sparks in his hazel eyes, reminding me, as they often did, of something close to a home. But I wanted no part of this—yet there was a prickling under my skin, deep in my chest, that felt like a precursor to heartbreak.

Paul took three strides forward, and I felt a familiar weakness surge. Batting my arm away without much resistance, he sealed his mouth over mine in a swift move worth of a midpoint in a romance novel. I fought not to give in with every ounce of my will, not letting his kiss consume and ignite me. Vivid images of Paul on his knees, a look of terror in his eyes, came slashing into my thoughts. No, the reality Paul was trying to paint was nothing like the one I had witnessed.

I stepped back, pushing him away while wiping my mouth on my sleeve. His head dropped, and fingers ran through his hair. As he did, I caught a flicker of discomfort in his eyes, and at the same time, his hand reached for his chest.

"Where are you going to go, Peach? Her house? The shop? You can only leave once she says you're done here. Neither of us can. The only way out at this point is through. All I'll ever ask you to do is try. Come home with me."

I gnawed on my thumbnail, deciding what to do or whether he would follow if I ran. Paul was right, if I didn't learn how to approach Lucille from someone, she could just as easily rip my throat out as they were capable of last night. I turned my cell phone back on, ready to call whoever I needed to if he took a single step toward me.

"We do this my way," I said.

Paul frowned, then shook his head. "You don't trust me anymore if you ever did?"

"This is what she wants."

"How do you—."

My cell rang, and Carolyn's name blinkered on the screen. I held a pointed finger out to keep him from moving closer. Then, I placed the phone to my ear. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes. No. I don't know. Antoine called last night. He had the nerve to call from an out-of-state pay phone. The smuck called collect and reversed the charges. I thought it was you!"

My heart dropped for the second time in as many minutes. "What did Antoine say? Are you okay?"

Paul's eyes narrowed, and he took a step forward. I held up my hand again, making him stop in his tracks.

"He said he wasn't waiting anymore. I hung up. I've been trying to reach you since. Dana, what do I do?"

I had never turned my phone back on after Carlyle's instruction. "Carolyn, I am so sorry. Are you still at the apartment?"