Page 53 of Forsaken Devotion: Part 2
I didn’t think he understood her meaning to me. How much she had doneforme. There wasn’t much time. If I had to guess, that was from Bruno, and he’d gotten Verity at the clinic.
“Lucian, in prison,” I started and licked my lips. I hadn’t really told him about my time there. His thighs framing mine stiffened. The tension returned to line his mouth, and the corner of his eyes pinched. “I didn’t have anyone. Not outside.” I paused and exhaled. “She shared everything with me. It’s hard to get your hands on anything in there without funds, but I was never without, because of her and Tate . . .” I took a breath, notrealizing it would be this hard to talk about. A burn had started up on the inside of my nose. I inhaled sharply, and the sensation faded. Forcing myself to meet his eyes, I shoved away the shame that clouded my actions.
“I understand,” Lucian said before I could spit anything else out. With his palms on the couch, he pushed himself up, the cast scraping against the rug as he scooted closer. I tipped my chin up to keep eye contact. “He’s bringing her here.” He cupped the side of my neck. “Once she arrives, you will have complete say on how the situation is handled.”
I let out a hard breath.
Still, I eyed him, but he seemed serious.
“She’s trustworthy, I swear, Alpha. I will make sure she’s never a risk for us.” His lips twitched.
With a dull thump, the front door hit the stopper. I bounced to my feet and quickly donned my discarded clothes. I tossed the throw beside Lucian as he pulled on his sweats.
“Let me go!” Verity’s scream echoed to me.
“I need to talk to her alone.”
Lucian stiffened, but a moment later, he exhaled and nodded. I hurried into the hallway, heading directly to the front door.
She struggled to get away from Bruno, but he kept a stiff grip on her arm. “Let me go,” she hissed, dropping to the floor, her arm outstretched. He watched her, shaking his head.
“You can let her go,” I called out, still down the hall. Verity whipped her head to look at me, her eyes wide. I picked up my pace.
“Joey!” she shouted. Bruno released her, and she climbed to her feet, rushing toward me. “We need to get out of here.”
Her whisper was rushed and fearful.
“We need to talk,” I said.
She tensed, her hands stiff on my arms. She blinked a few times, and awareness struck them. “You know that . . . What kind of cult are you in?” she croaked. Her fear was palpable, but she didn’t let me go, and she didn’t try to run.
I caught her hand and pulled her after me. She followed without a word as I led her to the stairs and up to my bedroom. Once in, we went directly to the cushioned chair in the corner of the room.
Keeping her gaze, I began to undress again.
Her eyebrows shot up, and she flicked them to the side. We’d seen each other naked, so it was nothing new, but she pursed her lips.
“Um, what are you doing?”
“Just shut it. Watch and then listen to what I have to say.” She clamped her lips together. I wasn’t surprised at her lack of argument; we’d been through enough. “You were always wondering what Tate and I were hiding.”
I stepped out of my shorts and shifted. Warmth flooded my veins. The stretch of my limbs was fast to the human eye, but the still-healing injuries all over my body smarted.
I shook out my pelt and let out a little bark. She jerked back in the chair, her eyes frozen in stunned disbelief. Her mouth flopped open and closed.
With slow steps, I approached her, keeping my head lowered and my mouth shut so my sharp teeth wouldn’t scare her. I stopped a few feet away and slowly lowered to my belly.
“Joey?” she whispered.
I forced a rumble from my throat, trying to keep it tame. I stretched my front paw forward.
Verity reached down with a shaking hand and scratched the top of my head. I groaned, leaning into it.
“What the fuck,” she mumbled, pulling away. With the same care, I stood to return to my clothes piled up on the floor.I pushed back into my human form. She stared at the floor, blinking repeatedly. While she reeled in silence, I dressed.
“I’m a shifter.”
Silence.
