Page 151 of Fangs
“I don’t think Trey was a better person than you,”Mac interrupted.
I raised my eyebrows, a humorless laugh escaping my lips.
“Why would he be a better person?” Mac pushed.
I stared at him with so many reasons running through my head that I couldn’t even pick one. He sighed, his eyes narrowing into a familiar, exasperated expression.
“The only person who’s lived your life isyou.So why the hell would you try to make decisions based on someone else?”
“Because he was agoodperson,” I whispered.
“You’re a good person, too.”
I started shaking my head, but he caught my face and held it still.
“Ember, you are a good person.” His voice was firm, eyes flashing.
“I’m not?—”
“Stop,” he interrupted and pulled my face toward him.
For the briefest moment, I thought he was about to kiss me, and my stomach launched into the stars with, what? Fear? Anxiety? Something else? But he just pressed his forehead against mine. His eyes were so close I could see the shades of gold surrounding his pupil.
“You are good, Em,” Mac murmured, and I could feel the warmth of his words against my skin. “You’re not aperfectperson, but you’re agoodperson. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my whole damn life.”
I bit my bottom lip to keep it from trembling. I couldfeelhis sincerity, but not from his expression or his words; I couldfeelit the way I could smell the woodsmoke in the air, the way I could feel the worn wooden floor under my fingers.
“I can feel you, too,”he murmured in my head.“I can feel your confusion and pain like it’s my own.”
My heart tripped over itself. What exactly had our magic done inside my head?
He released my face and sat back against the wall, running a hand through his dark hair so it fell to one side.
“It’s gettin’ late. Let’s try not to worry about it too much right now, alright? You should get some sleep.”
I took a deep breath and nodded, trying to push all my worries back down. I met his eyes and managed a slight smile. “Thank you… for bein’ my rock.”
When his sharp eyes grew soft, the difference was so noticeable, and it made me feel unsteady again. He stood and offered a hand to help me up. “I meant it when I said I’ll always come for you, Em.”
I let him pull me up, and a tangible shiver raced across my skin. It felt like a promise—like an oath—and the emotion accompanying it almost overwhelmed me again. He stooped, picked up the discarded letter lying on the floor, and held it out to me. I took it to my dresser and placed it inside the top drawer.
“You want me to send anybody in?” Mac asked.
I shook my head, leaning against my dresser. Thelastthing I wanted was to answer questions from my brother or his crew.
“You know where to find me if you need anything.” He seemed to be hesitating by the ladder, cool tendrils of his worry drifting around me.
“I know.” I took a deep breath, trying to exude calm confidence. “I’ll be alright. Night, Mac.”
He stood for a moment longer, then smiled. “Night, Em.”
25
“Em, you have a patient.”
I cracked my eyes open, blinking in confusion at the daylight. Wolf was crouched next to my mattress, shaking me gently.
I sat up, rubbing my gritty eyes as Wolf disappeared down the ladder. I peered over the loft’s edge to see Smith, and adrenaline jolted me awake. He was pale-faced and cradling a broken arm. I quickly got dressed, went downstairs, and tried to pretend that Smith wasn’t still looking at me with a wariness that hadn’t faded since he found me sitting next to Madame’s dead body.
