Page 37 of The Predator
We both laughed.
I finally felt as though I had a purpose, but a small voice in my head said to tread lightly.
14
SAM
Iwas ready to mutilate Jack Aberdeen.
“Sam,” Jordyn said behind me, “Layla will be fine.”
When we left the ranch, we hadn’t gone far. There was no way I was leaving Layla completely alone with Jack. On Jordyn’s advice, Conrad and I had parked on a dirt path off the main road. Then we hoofed it back toward the ranch and stayed far enough away but close enough that I could see without being detected.
“I know she will”—I didn’t take my eyes off Jack, who was talking to Layla and Tabitha—“because I’m not leaving until I know she’s fine.”
“My uncle isn’t going to hurt her,” Jordyn said.
“Are you sure about that? Because with vampires on your mom’s side, I’m betting his revulsion for Layla is as strong as his hatred for me.” He’d been one second away from lighting my ass up with his wife and two nieces in firing range.
Ripping out his heart would be too kind.
“Ninety-nine percent sure,” Jordyn said, her eyes widening.
Conrad came down a small hill. “I think I heard the aunt is taking Layla into town.”
The women went inside the house.
I texted Layla:Hurry the fuck up.
She replied immediately:Chill, vampire. I’ll be there soon.
If she wasn’t, I would plow in and bring down the house.
Jordyn tapped on my shoulder. “Let’s go. We’re meeting her at the Deer and Elk just outside of town.” She sounded a little jumpy. “I’ll be in the car.”
Conrad brushed dust off his black pants. “Now that Jack knows you’re here, this town definitely isn’t safe for you. Get to the airport. I’ll pick up Layla from the Deer and Elk.”
“I can handle myself.” I appreciated that he had my back, but I wasn’t one to hide or run.
Conrad glanced toward our cars. “Word around town is that Jack has a new weapon. I don’t know the specifics.”
“You mean the flamethrower isn’t doing the job?” My tone dripped with sarcasm. Still, the drug Layla had used at the nightclub came to mind. “We know he’s testing out a drug, or he was two years ago. I doubt that’s it since most drugs won’t kill us unless it’s an endotoxin.” At the moment, I couldn’t worry about a new weapon. “Look, man. You should think about getting out of town. Come back with me.”
He scratched the underside of his chin. “My job is to keep an eye on the Aberdeens. I can do that without getting caught. I don’t stay in one place that long, anyway. Besides, until your father tells me otherwise, I can’t leave my post. Any word on his condition?”
“He’s still out but alive. I’ll head to the Deer and Elk.” As much as I would have loved a good sparring with Jack Aberdeen, it wasn’t the time. I was certain he and I would go head-to-head at some point in the future. “Hang here until you see Layla leaving.”
Jordyn had the phone to her ear when I climbed behind the wheel. “Rianne, why are you ghosting Layla and me? Answer our freaking calls. We’re on our way to the Deer and Elk. Sam is in town. Meet us there as soon as you can.” She snarled at me, looking a little like Layla at that moment as she tossed the phone in her lap.
I laughed, starting the engine. “Don’t kill the messenger.” I imagined she was still coming to terms with having vampires in her family.
She clicked her seat belt into place. “I’m not irritated with you. I’m mad that I don’t know who my family is anymore, and it’s kind of sad too. Rianne seems to have joined the darker side, and my mom had vampires on her side. That’s a hard nut to swallow.”
“Explain about Rianne,” I said.
She toyed with her phone. “I don’t know why, but she told Noah about you and Layla sleeping together. It was probably a slip of the tongue. She and Noah had been watching a movie and drinking. I think she had one too many beers and told him accidentally.”
“And it got back to Jack, I’m guessing?” I would’ve loved to have been a fly on the wall when Jack found that out.
