Page 43 of Bite Me

“Nothing,” he says, eyeing me. “So you walked her home? All the way to her door, and then you left?”

“I didn’t stay with Emma, if that’s what you’re worried about. Not my type.”

“All I care about is Emma being safe, and I don’t exactly know what you’re playing at here.”

“He’s hiding something,” Ryker, one of Parker’s seconds, says.

He has two, and I know virtually nothing about them other than they play on the same Rage team. They’re all dressed in their morning practice uniforms.

I guess this ambush was a planned pre-practice.

“Yeah, he’s leaving out the part about his grandfather,” the other second says. What’s his name? Starts with a C, I think. I try not to remember anyone’s names I don’t need to, and anyone around Parker is high on the “forget” list.

The bigger question is, how does this nobody know about my dealings with my grandfather and how much does he know?

“How did you . . . ?”

Darien appears from behind a white pillar, twirling his fingers in a wave.

“For fuck’s sake, you think I’m working with my grandfather to hurt Emma?”

“You’re the one who’s been fucking with Emma since she got here,” Parker snarls. “Why would you walk her home unless you have some motive? You said it yourself, not your type.”

“She’s the one who was fucking with me! Believe it or not, I’m on your side here. If I thought she was in any real danger, I would tell you. I don’t need to like Emma to try to keep her away from people with bad intentions.”

They want an answer. Why did I help Emma?

Of course it’s the deal with my grandfather, what else would it be? If she leaves that whole interaction of initiation thinking everyone in the culinary club is cruel and emotionless, she’d have no other reason to stay. That’s all it is. Just business.

“Oh, he’s definitely interested in her.” Zant smiles.

I sigh. “Are we done? Can I go?”

“You need to tell me what your grandfather wants with Emma. Then maybe I’ll feel good about leaving you here unscathed.”

“Do you manhandle all your victims?”

He shrugs. “Yeah, if it gets my point across.”

He needs to hurry and build that pack. He’s got the muscle and the scary claws, but he lacks the respect that many Were families spend generations building, and he needs it if he wants to keep the Osborne women safe.

After last night it’s never been clearer, Emma doesn’t belong in this world, and my submitting to my grandfather’s wishes pushes her further into danger. It’s a constant game of chess. I’m not sure what happens to me when I lose. But I know what happens to her.

I should be okay with the consequences because they’re not mine to care about. Emma isn’t my responsibility, even if my grandfather wants me to get on her good side. But I haven’t been able to stop thinking about last night. The tears in her eyes . . .

“You’re working with us or against us. I’m less cordial with my enemies. What’s it going to be?”

And this is how it starts.

“As I said, I have no intention of harming Emma, and I’m not working with my grandfather.”

I don’t know whether it’s a lie or not.

Darien smirks as he leans against the wall. Fuck. This is going to cost me.

“Good. We’re on the same page, then.”

Chapter Fourteen