Chapter Ten
Half an hour later, they were on the road heading into the darkness. Snow was falling again, and Ryan was driving. Winter sat beside him, munching on a packet of chocolate cookies to get her strength up—she was feeling a little lightheaded from blood loss.
She swallowed the last, brushed the crumbs off her fingers, and cast him a sideways glance. As if sensing her attention, he looked away from the road and flashed her a grin. He was wearing the clothes she’d picked up on the way to the hotel last night—his own had been a little bloody—black jeans and a black shirt. With the leather coat over the top, he looked lean and mean and super cool. He also appeared more relaxed than she’d ever seen him. At peace with himself.
Great sex would do that. She felt all boneless and melty, and she hoped they would get to do it again. And again. But first she had a confession to make, and she just hoped it wouldn’t totally ruin the mood and make him hate her.
“What’s the plan?” she asked. They had a three-hour drive before they arrived at Ryan’s old hometown. That would get them there sometime before eleven.
“We go in there, pick Liam up, and head back to London. There should be plenty of time to get back before dawn.”
“And are you going to tell him?”
“Tell him what?”
“What happened? What you are.”
He snorted. “I don’t think so. I mean, what am I supposed to say? Hi, Liam, sorry I haven’t seen you since your mom died, but I’m a vampire and a werewolf now, and it’s been a little difficult. You want to come and live with me?” He ran a hand through his messy hair. “He’d probably run so fast in the opposite direction, we’d never catch him.”
She grinned. “You might be right. But you’ll have to tell him sometime.”
“When we get back to the Order and he can’t run.” He sighed. “I’d hoped to keep him out of this life. At least until he was grown up and could make his own decisions about whether he wanted anything to do with me.”
She thought of Liam’s letter and the tearstains. “He wants you. You’re his only family.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve no choice now. They’ve already used him against me once. I won’t risk that happening for real next time.”
She bit her lip. Now was the time to make that confession. But she didn’t want him to hate her. She wasn’t quite sure what she wanted, but she hoped her future would be at the Order, maybe working alongside Ryan. Getting to know him better. Part of her wished she was the sort of girl who could offer him more, and that he was the sort of man who would appreciate the offer. But she suspected they were both too set in their ways, and she never wanted to hurt him. They could still be friends. With lots of benefits.
But she couldn’t be his friend with the lie between them.
“You’ve gone quiet,” Ryan said.
She cleared her throat. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
“There is?”
“And I think you’re going to be mad at me. But I just wanted to help. Only I didn’t know about the price on your head. I would never have done it, if I’d known.”
“Done what?”
She took a deep breath. “I got someone to make that phone call to you. Last night. And pretend that they had Liam.” He didn’t say anything. Maybe he’d never say anything to her again. Still, she forced herself to go on. “It was obvious that you wanted to see Liam, and you were only staying away out of some misguided idea that he was better off without you in his life.”
“But you knew better.”
“Yes. No. Maybe. As I got to know you, I realized that the only way you would give in and go to him was if you believed he needed you. And he does.”
The car was slowing, and Ryan pulled over to the side of the road. As they came to a stop, he turned in his seat to peer at her. “Let me get this straight. You got someone to pretend they had kidnapped my nephew so I would go running to the rescue?”
“Yes. And it worked beautifully. I was so pleased with myself. Except then Graham told me that this Marissa wolf had put a price on your head, and I knew I’d sent you into danger. I couldn’t have lived with myself if anything had happened to you, not to mention Piers would have eviscerated me. I was supposed to keep you safe.”
“Yeah, not particularly effective bodyguarding.”
“Total crap,” she muttered. She studied him, trying to read his body language. Was he furious with her? Would he lose it?
“So you came running to the rescue?”
“Yes, except they ran you off the road before I got there, and I thought I was too late and…” She ran out of words.
He was silent for a moment.
Here it comes.
He was going to blast into her. Maybe rip her head off. Drain her dry. Hide her body.
Instead, he chuckled. She stared at him in disbelief. “You’re not angry?”
“I’m fucking furious.” He sighed and shook his head. “Why?”
“I just wanted to help. I could tell you felt bad about Liam. And Christmas is a time for families. And—”
“Enough,” he said. “You did it. You’re sorry. And you did come and rescue me after all.” He blew out his breath. “We need to move on.”
She reached out and rested her hand on his arm. “But it means the wolves didn’t go after your nephew. So maybe you can leave him where he is, after all. If that’s what you want, what you think is best.”
“No. We stick to the plan. When I thought I wasn’t going to make it, I promised myself that if I did survive, I would go and see Liam. Make sure he knows there’s a place for him with me.”
He switched on the engine and pulled onto the road.
Winter stared out of the windshield as the snow fell, cocooning them in their own little world. She was glad he was going anyway. For both him and Liam.
“I think you’re doing the right thing. It’s horrible to lose someone you love and not know why.”
“Who did you lose?” he asked.
She watched the snow for a minute before answering. “My mom. When I was four. She just left. She was a pixie and they’re not known for commitment. My dad said she just wanted her freedom. I guess she wanted it more than she wanted me.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Me too.”
“You’re a pixie? I remember now—you’re fickle.”
“Half pixie. But I take after my mom apparently, though I don’t remember her that well. It’s why my dad worries about me. I’m impulsive, with commitment issues. At least you won’t have to be concerned about me getting all heavy and serious on you. You know, because we had sex and everything.”
“I’m not concerned.”
“I made a vow when I was six years old that I would never fall in love, because I couldn’t trust myself to stay.”
“You don’t have to worry, either. I’m not big on commitment.”
Maybe she wanted to worry a little bit. She wanted to ask why, but that was a conversation for another time. “We’ll keep it light then? And just, you know…be together, until we don’t want to be together.”
“Sounds like a plan. Actually, there is a favor you can do for me.”
“Anything.”
“If he comes with us, will you look after Liam for me tomorrow? During the day, while I sleep. It’s Christmas. I don’t want him to be alone.”
“I’d love to.” Relief washed though her. Ryan didn’t hate her. Liam was going to be with his uncle for Christmas. And after the holidays, she would get her job at the Order. Everything was going to work out. “Let’s go get him and take him home.”