Page 73 of Wicked Wolves and Tangled Truths
I know Josué noticed. But he didn’t say anything and I’m grateful for it. My ribs stand out in sharp relief beneath my chest. I can count each one while in the shower. It’s not healthy, but I don’t know how to make myself want to eat. Sometimes even the scent of food gets to me and sends me running for the bathroom.
When I go downstairs in the morning, I expect to find Natalia waiting to take us to school, but instead, she hands me a set of keys and gives me a small smile.
“Your father pulled this from the garage for you at my suggestion.” She tilts her head to the set of keys. “This way, if you need to leave, to get away, you can.”
I stare at the keys in my hand. I never thought I’d be so relieved to have access to a car. Before all of this, I would have refused it. I didn’t want Brian’s money. I didn’t need it, and I like earning my own way in life. It’s why I’ve been applying for jobs in the first place. But I can’t afford a car on my own right now. Not even a beater. And this, this would give me an escape if I found myself in a vulnerable position.
“Thank you.”
Her smile widens just a bit. “If you ever want to talk…”
I shake my head.
“Okay, then. I also left you a little something in the front seat. Just in case.” I’m about to ask her what it is when Josué strolls in the back door. “Hey.” He lifts a hand in greeting and stalks toward me. I don’t even think it’s a conscious effort. He’s just so attuned with his beast that he moves like it.
My stomach tightens as he approaches but I do what I did yesterday every time my body reacted to his proximity. I look at his hands, breathe in his scent, and the anxiety subsides.
Outside we find a silver sports car in the driveway. I push a button on the key fob, somewhat surprised when it chirps back. He’s letting me drive a sports car? Why can’t he be like normal dads and just give me a beater?
“Damn,” Josué draws out. “This is sick.”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, yeah. You can drool over the interior. Come on or we’re going to be late.”
I open the doors and find Natalia’s gift inside. A saber sits nestled inside a scabbard on the driver’s seat. Josué whistles. “A blade?”
I pull the scabbard out, withdrawing the blade. It sings as it’s unsheathed and every one of my senses goes on high alert. A jolt of electricity zings down my arm and my grip tightens on the hilt as I turn the blade over in my hand.
“That’s some serious magic there,” Josué says and I nod in agreement. This definitely isn’t an ordinary blade. It feels light in my hands, no more than two or three pounds. The grip is simple and efficient, wrapped in black leather. The blade is what draws the eye though. It gleams when the sun hits, illuminating a series of runes etched into the smooth surface. I trace my finger over each one.
“I don’t know what any of these mean,” I tell him. He comes around the car and I pass the blade to him.
“These are fae symbols.” We both scowl down at the intricate designs. I know next to nothing about the fae or how their magic works.
“I like it,” I say and smile, realizing I have yet another layer of protection today.
29
Rafe
Jordy sidles up beside me. “She’s back,” he mutters under his breath. My jaw tightens and all our heads turn to see her step out of a silver car a few rows down from us.
“Is that a…” Jordy starts.
“Brand-new Audi RS 5? Yeah. It is,” Des answers and a quick look his way shows he’s not all that happy to see her, either.
Guess she’s still living the good life, or maybe now she’s just happier to embrace it. She’s dressed in that rich preppy shit she wore the first week of school.
I guess we’re back to that again too.
I shrug my shoulders and catch Jordy and Des’s gazes. “Doesn’t matter what she’s driving. She’s here. I want some fucking answers.” That chick that works for her dad blew us off when we showed up, but I’m not buying the whole Isa-doesn’t-want-to-see-me crap. Something else has to be going on. I tried waiting around for Isa to leave the house, hoping to catch her and corner her into talking to me, but she never fucking left her house. Not once. Not that I ever saw, at least. And I was there, every fucking day for eight days straight. I went full-fledge stalker and don’t even care.
I push off from the hood of my ride, intent on speaking with her, but then I catch sight of a guy getting out of the passenger seat of the same vehicle.
“What the fuck?” Jordy says beside me. He scratches the back of his head. “This is new.”
“Yeah,” I bite out. “It is.”
I watch as he moves around the car until he’s right beside her. He reaches a hand out to her. It’s tentative, like he’s unsure if she’ll accept his touch and for a second my heart races in my chest. She’s going to brush him off. I know she is. If this were a thing, if he was competition, he wouldn’t look so hesitant to touch her. I grin. The fucker has no idea what he’s trying to get in between.
