Page 66 of To Keep A Wolf
He leans in and kisses me. My face flushes with warmth thanks to our audience. But no one reacts. Well, unless you count Tripp’s shrill whistle a reaction. Levi doesn’t look away from me, though his mouth does curve in a small smile at Tripp’s teasing.
“Call me when you have the witch,” he says then trudges back to the van.
Tripp moves in beside me then. “You have any kisses for me.”
“Kiss my ass, Tripp.”
He shrugs. “Not what I had in mind but—”
“Tripp,” Levi growls, and my friend hurries toward the van, wearing a big grin.
I roll my eyes, but something in my gut loosens at his easy teasing, which I suspect was his goal all along.
Levi starts the van, its engine idling a hell of a lot softer than the Jeep’s. My dad throws the last of his bags—I really want to ask where he got so many weapons—into the back and shuts the door. I watch as my mom walks over to him and gives him a peck on the cheek. “See you on the other side,” she says.
His eyes widen, and he stops, staring after her as she climbs into the Jeep beside me, and we drive away.
CHAPTER19
My mother drives like we’re already being chased, which actually doesn’t surprise me. It does, however, irritate me considering she’s the one who encouraged Levi to keep us in sight while they followed.
“Mom, they’re not even out of the driveway yet. Slow down,” I say.
She doesn’t respond, nor does she take her foot off the gas.
Warning bells sound in my mind. I look over at her, noting the white-knuckled grip she has on the steering wheel.
“Mom,” I snap. “If you try to betray us, I swear I will—”
“Relax,” she says, still not slowing. “I’m not betraying you. I’m saving them.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
She takes the next corner fast enough that I have to grab the bar above my head to keep from being shoved against her.
I debate the wisdom of reaching over and yanking the wheel, a move that will surely cost us the Jeep considering there’s no way we won’t hit a tree. But I also refuse to let her do what I think she’s doing.
“The witch can’t do the ritual without you,” she snaps, and it takes me a full breath to realize her intention.
She’s not double-crossing me for Jadick’s orders. She’s doing the opposite.
“If we don’t go back to Blackstone, he can’t hurt you.”
“Mom,” I say, but she just keeps driving, blowing straight through a stop sign.
“Mom,” I say again, louder now.
Her chin juts out stubbornly.
Moving fast enough that she doesn’t see me coming, I reach over and grab her face in my hands, turning it so she’s forced to look at me. She tries to wrench free, but I don’t let her. Finally, she’s forced to slam on the brakes.
The tires screech, and we’re both driven forward as she comes to a sudden stop.
In the silence, I see her fear reflected in her usually hardened eyes.
“I know you’re scared,” I say.
“I’m terrified,” she hisses.
