“Mathias? Is it Trigg? Is it Father?”
I shook my head. I had to keep looking straight ahead because if I didn’t, if I looked at him, I thought maybe my mind would disintegrate into a million pieces.
“I’m sorry.” I heard my voice as if it came from far away.
“What?”
“I’m sorry. That’s all. Can you get out of my car now?” I put my hand on the steering wheel.
Kris stayed put. “That’s why you’re sitting out here all alone? Blocking my driveway? So you could say that? What’s happened to you?”
“Nothing. I’ll get out of your way now,” I replied.
“I hated you at first. I don’t anymore.” His voice was low and beautiful as he spoke. Pure Alpha.
Why did I ever think he was otherwise because of a few atrophied organs? Trigg even told me he experienced Burns. I heard Kris take a deep breath.
“Mathias, I’m glad you came by. I really am.”
“Fine.” The word sounded weak. Pathetic. “I’ll go now.”
“I want you to tell me you’re okay first. That you’re okay to drive.”
“I’m okay.” What I really needed right now was a drink. Or six.
“I’m not sure about that. Why don’t you come inside for a few minutes? I can make you some coffee.”
“I’m fine,” I repeated. I started the engine. “Get out.”
“Come on. Just pull on up into the driveway,” he suggested.
“No. I’m going now.” My teeth gritted. I put the car intodrive.
“All right. All right.” Kris slid from the seat until his feet were on the ground.
The door bumped him in the shoulder, then closed. He started to lean into the window to say something else, but I pulled away, eyes on the highway, focused straight ahead.
I didn’t remember driving. All I knew was I was sitting in the parking lot of a bar. The lights on the door spelledOPEN.
I got out. Behind me, a pick up pulled in and parked beside my car.
I could smell him again. Honeysuckle and sandalwood and a distinct Alpha musk.
Kris had followed me.
I no longer cared. I kept going into the bar, in the dark and the shadows. The first thing I did was order a Vodka. I leaned on the bar top and sucked it down, ordering another. Then another.
After that, I lost all track of time.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Saber
“There!” I saw Mathias’s Ferrari in the bar’s lot before we drove in.
Trigg looked where I was pointing and pulled into a space alongside it.
“That’s Thorne’s truck,” he said, indicating the pickup on the other side. “He’s Kris’s bondmate and husband.”