“Mmm.” He traced the edge of my panties with the tip of his finger and I arched into the touch. Maybe I was ready. God, I liked him touching me. No, I loved his touch.
“Don’t know where your head is at yet, Rayne. Hours ago, you were willing to walk away. You did walk away.” I opened my mouth to tell him I was wrong, but he gently squeezed my thigh. “Let me say this, babe.” He didn’t wait for my agreement as he continued. “I came back because I shouldn’t have driven off in the first place. I get that you’re scared. I was fuckin’ scared today too when I nearly lost you.” He was? It was hard to imagine Kilter scared of anything. “You need time to sort your shit out. I’m here until you do.” His hand moved away from my panties to cup my chin. “But don’t think for a second this between us can end. Because it can’t.”
Leaning in to me, he briefly kissed me before rolling from the bed and grabbing the soup bowl off the nightstand. “I’ll make you a sandwich. Chicken and tomato good?”
I nodded, still a little shocked at what just happened.
“Mayo and mustard?”
I nodded again.
“Okay.” Then he walked out.
I flopped my arm over my eyes. “Holy shit.”
“WITH TONIGHT’S INCIDENT, WE have to act now.” I stood in the foyer with Keir and Anstice. Keir contacted me as soon as Kilter showed up with Rayne. “We need to know why a vampire went after Rayne. She has to tell us everything that went down in that compound.”
“Is she ready?” Anstice asked as she stroked the top of Finn’s massive black head. “She’s gone through a horrendous experience, and even though she’s gained weight and is stronger, we’re digging into her past.”
Delara had said the same thing in the dressing room two days ago. Anstice was a Healer and compassion was her forte. Not mine. I did everything in my power to protect the Scars, and if it meant using someone, I’d do it.
“She’ll tell us everything whether she’s ready or not.” My jaw clenched as I said the next words, “Call Delara in.”
Keir nodded as he put his hand on his wife’s arm when she opened her mouth. No doubt to object. Anstice was an incredible Healer, but she was new to the Scars and still had to learn to never question me.
I pushed away from the doorframe I leaned against and turned away from them. Reaching into my pocket, I took out my candy container, opened it, and spilled a tiny pill into my palm before tossing it in my mouth. Every time I popped a pill, it reminded me of Delara. She begged me to give them up. If I ever laughed, it would have been then, because if she knew anything about what I’d endured for over sixty years, she would know that giving up the pills was impossible.
A hand touched my forearm and everything inside me reacted as I jerked away and spun so quickly, I knocked Anstice back a few steps.
Christ. It was an instinctive reaction to a woman’s touch. Any woman’s, except Delara’s. I had learned to control the reaction with the pills, but she’d surprised me. I didn’t like surprises.
Anstice backed away. “I’m sorry.”
Keir took Anstice’s hand and pulled her in to his side then leaned in to her and whispered something.
Finn barked and whined as he looked from me to Anstice to Keir and back again. Then he bowed his head and ambled out of the foyer and into the living room. Smart dog. Don’t pick sides.
“Kilter may object to her being questioned,” I said. The Visionary had trust issues, and after sending him to Rest for six months, his issues would be worse. “Make certain he does not attempt to leave with her.”
“He refuses to listen to anything I say,” Keir admitted.
I continued, “Have everyone here in three hours. No exceptions.”
Keir nodded.
Then I gave them the bad news. “Trinity will also be attending the meeting to discuss the witch, Abby.”
Keir cursed.
Anstice gasped, but it wasn’t from my words. It was from the front door opening and who walked in at that exact moment.
Delara.
Jedrik sauntered in after her grinning. His eyes hit me, then Anstice and Keir then to Delara, who stood frozen, a stunned expression on her face. It was as if I’d just slapped her across the face. Yeah, she definitely heard what I’d said.
“What’s going on?” Jedrik asked, grin fading.
“Library,” I ordered Delara.
Trinity was coming here? To the Talde house? I glared at Waleron for several seconds as Anstice and Keir slipped away while Jedrik squeezed my hand before telling me through telepathy to keep my cool.
Fine, Tac wanted to chat, I’d chat, but it wasn’t going to be friendly when it involved Trinity. I tilted my chin up and brushed past him into the library. This would just be another one of our fuel-charged arguments. There was so much anger, passion, and heat between us that it was impossible to be in the same room together and not have combustion.
I was about self-destruction and Waleron was about ultimate control. The two could not mix.