Page 68 of Bound by Vengeance
“It doesn’t matter; you’ll do what you want.No matter how foolish it is.”
Pulling out of his arms, she turned and leftthe bathroom without looking back. Asher didn’t seem at allsurprised to see her when she stepped into the hall. Their eyesbriefly met as Vicky walked by him.
CHAPTER 30
When Nathan returned from taking the vampiretrainee to the prison, he discovered Vicky leaning against the sideof Ronan’s SUV. She kept her head bowed and her shoulders up, as ifbracing herself for something. He walked toward her as the firstrays of the sun poked over the trees.
The early morning glow of the sun coloredher hair with pinks and oranges, making him ache to touch it. She’dbe amused to learn how much he enjoyed the colors playing over her,but he sensed she was already pulling away from him.
A vise-like pressure constricted his chest;he wasn’t ready to let her go yet.
Ronan stepped in front of him. “It’s timefor us to leave. Are you sure you want to return to thestronghold?”
“I have to,” Nathan said. If he, Asher,andJordan didn’t return today, red flags would go up allover the stronghold.
“You could walk away,” Kadence said. “Youcould protect yourself and make your own choices about yourlife.”
Kadence’s eyes, nearly an identical shade ofblue as his, flicked toward Vicky while she said this last bit.
“You know I can’t,” he said.
“You’re notsafethere, Nathan.”
“Jordan was a one-man mission. Many of thehunters don’t approve of the changes I’m making, but I don’tbelieve any of them will try to ambush me like Jordan planned todo. They’ll come at me head-on, or they’ll put me on trial as atraitor.”
“You’re not a traitor!” Kadenceretorted.
He held her gaze as he replied, “Fathermight not agree with you.”
Her nose scrunched up in exasperation. “Thenyou’re saying he would consider me a traitor too, and I don’t thinkhe would. Father didn’t know the truth about vampires; thingsprobably would have been different if he had.”
“Maybe, maybe not.”
“Iknowthey would have,” sheinsisted. “If something happens to you in there, Nathan—”
“Nothing will happen.”
“Damn it! Why are you so stubborn?”
He gripped her shoulders and smiled at her.“It runs in the family as you, my dear sister, are one ofthemost infuriatingly, stubborn women I’ve ever met.”
Behind her, Ronan nodded his agreement, andNathan chuckled. When Kadence’s head snapped toward him, Ronan gaveher an innocent smile.
“Now, it’s time for all of us to go,” Nathansaid.
He fell into step beside Kadence as theyapproached the vehicles. Nathan willed Vicky to look at him, butshe kept her gaze steadfastly away.
“Can you give me a ride back to my hotel?”she asked Ronan.
“I’d prefer if you’d return to staying withus,” Ronan said.
Nathan opened his mouth to agree with Ronanbefore closing it. He didn’t want her out in the world alone, notanymore, but she’d break into song and dance before she listened tohim. If he told her to go back, she would do the opposite. Nathanwould have less of a chance to see her if she went back to residingin Ronan’s mansion, but he’d visit her there when he could.
“There are some things I have to take careof first, but I’ll return soon,” Vicky said to Ronan.
“And if you're caught or killed in themeantime?” Ronan asked.
“What I’m doing isn’t dangerous, and I havefriends who are helping me with it. It may come to nothing, butthere’s still a chance I could discover something to help us locateJoseph, or maybe give us an idea of what he’s up to.”
