Page 118 of Insidious Heart
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, baby dove.”
I narrow my eyes, searching his profile before my panic turns into full blown suspicion and I call him out. “Ok, what’s going on?”
Victor glances at me briefly. “I’m taking you home.”
“Butwhy?”
“You asked me to?” His brow furrows. “I don’t see a problem here.”
“What aren’t you telling me? Why are you so ok with me going home?”
Victor lets go of my hand, placing his on the steering wheel where he grips tightly but he doesn’t respond.
And as we turn down my street, I’m pretty sure I know why.
It’s empty.
No line of motorcycles leading to my driveway.
No trucks illegally parked in the road.
There’s no one around at all, and it’s stranger still when we get even closer and I see that my house is dark.
Dark and vacant looking, not a Demon Seed in sight.
“What did you do, Victor?” I whisper as he pulls into the driveway and puts the car in park. “What did you do?”
“Stevie, I—”
“Is he dead?” Tears sting at my eyes and oddly enough it has nothing to do with the idea of Beau being dead. “Did you kill him?”
Victor angles his body toward mine. “Stevie, baby, let me—”
“Just answer the question, Victor. Is my father dead?”
“No.”
Andthat’swhat I was afraid of.
If Beau isn’t here, but he isn’t dead, I have a funny feeling I know exactly where he is.
I stare out at the darkened windows, at the empty front porch as a single tear rolls down my cheek. “He’s on Wulven King’ property, isn’t he?”
“No, Stevie, that’s just it. Just let me explain.” Victor sighs as he reaches for me but I pull away. “Stevie?”
My hand shakes as it lands on the door handle but I manage to open it anyway. “There’s nothing to explain. You were using me just like I thought, and you jumped at the first chance you had to get my father for the Kings. No explanation needed.”
He lunges across the center console as I get out of the car, Victor fighting with his seat belt in order to get to me. “What? No. No, Stevie, it isn’t like that! Stop, please, let me—”
“Since you have a hard time with things like this, I’ll break it down for you.” Swiping at another tear, I duck my head in the open door. “I appreciate what you did for me, I do, but I need some space because I’m having a hard time reconciling the man I got to know in the privacy of my bedroom with the one sitting here now, still lying to me after he’s been caught out.”
“I’m not a liar!” he snaps as he tugs on the belt. “I’ve never lied to you, Stevie. Just listen to me!”
“I don’t want to see you again, not for a while, anyway. I need some time to figure out what to do about how I feel. Thanks for the ride.”
Then I slam the door and run inside, ignoring the way my body aches, ignoring the man yelling for me,beggingme to hear him out.
