Page 55 of Primal Bonds

Adric shook his head. “You’re bullet bait to him,” he told her. “Someone he can throw at me to save his own ass.”

She raised her chin. “He says you lie. That you can do it without harming yourself.”

“Do you scent a lie?”

Her nostrils flared. Then she shook her head. “No,” she admitted. “But maybe I would not.”

“Corban is the one who plays with the truth. And the man’s a fucking coward, too. Look how he left you behind to take the heat.”

Nika pressed her lips together.

“You know the rules,” Adric said. “You come into my territory without permission, you’re mine. I could slit your throat right here and no one would say a word.”

Kyler moved uneasily, but Adric sliced him a look, and he kept his mouth shut.

Nika merely nodded. “As you say.”

The alpha turned toward Evie. “Can I trouble you for some clothes for Nika here?”

“Yes, of course.” She hurried from the room. The redhead was several sizes larger than her, but she found an oversized T-shirt and a pair of yoga pants that she thought would work. When she returned to the kitchen, Jace had taken the opportunity to get dressed in his own clothes as well.

Nika shed her towel and pulled on the shirt and pants, unconcerned with her audience. Evie elbowed Kyler, who had his gaze locked on the woman’s full breasts. He reddened and dropped his eyes.

Adric was holding the paper towel with Nika’s quartz. Her eyes went to it, but she didn’t say anything. The alpha unwrapped it without touching it. He cocked his head, and Evie had the odd impression he was listening to it. He gave a nod and then wrapped it up again before tucking it into his pocket.

“We’ll take care of her,” he told Jace. “You two”—he nodded at Evie and Kyler—“go with Jace.”

The two men exchanged a look.

“What do you mean?” Evie asked.

“Jace will explain. But my cousin is a coldhearted SOB. If he thinks he can hurt me through you, he will.”

She passed a hand over her face. None of this made sense. “Why would hurting me hurt you?”

“Jace is one of my top men—a lieutenant. And it’s clear he’s interested in you, or else he wouldn’t have been here.”

Jace was a lieutenant? But it fit; he had that air of calm, confident power.

“Come on.” Jace set a hand on her back. “We can talk upstairs. You too, Kyler.”

As they moved into the hall, Adric said to Nika, “I’ll ask you one time. Where’s Corban?”

Silence.

Evie glanced back to see the alpha dangling his quartz in front of Nika’s face. Then Jace moved to block her sight and hustled her toward the stairs.

She dug in her heels. Yes, Nika had helped attack Jace, but Evie couldn’t help feeling a little sorry for her. “What’s he going to do?” she demanded.

He propelled her forward. “Don’t worry,” he said in an undertone. “He won’t hurt her. She’ll tell him what he needs to know.”

“But—”

“Upstairs. The less she knows, the better.”

Evie nodded and led the way to the front bedroom—her mom’s. Evie still didn’t think of it as hers. The walls were still the same deep plum her mom had chosen, and she had her mom’s colorful orange, blue, and purple Boho quilt on the bed. Even the sturdy fruitwood dresser had been passed down through her mom’s family. The only furniture Evie had added was an inexpensive table which held her printer and a stack of books and papers.

Jace closed the door and turned to face her and Kyler. “I’d like you to come to Baltimore with me for a few days—hide in my den until we track down Corban.”

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