Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 171450 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 857(@200wpm)___ 686(@250wpm)___ 572(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171450 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 857(@200wpm)___ 686(@250wpm)___ 572(@300wpm)
Lorcan took a step forward and held her steady. “Amberdash has his sights set on you. It’s not safe for you to be in this condition.”
She laughed into his face, unable to control the giggle. She jerked out of his grip, or tried to, but he held firm when she twisted and ended up careening into his chest.
“We should get out of here.”
She glared up at him. “Not in this lifetime.”
He sighed heavily and glanced around as if it was someone’s fault for her defiance streak…or the alcohol. “We need to talk. When you’re drunk, your defenses are down. You’re vulnerable to attack.”
“I’ve had a handful of shots, and I’m dancing with my friends.” She shot her hand to the middle of the room where they were all still dancing, oblivious to the interaction. “No one is going to attack me here. Except you, it seems.”
She pushed away from him, stumbling toward the bathroom. Hopefully, that would be a place even he wouldn’t follow.
“Where are you going?”
“Bathroom,” she shot back.
He trekked behind her. “Amberdash wants to make you one of his twisted attendants, Kierse. You shouldn’t be alone knowing what he’s planning.”
She whirled around when she reached the edge of the club, the last of her euphoric energy wiped away at the absurdity of this conversation. “First, I’m not alone. Second, Amberdash isn’t going to come to Five Points to kidnap me, Lorcan. He’s had a million opportunities to do that. He wants me to come on my own.”
“And how do you know that?” he demanded.
“Because I know Gregory Amberdash!”
“You were safe in the brownstone and safe in Brooklyn, so I didn’t worry. But we’ve all been watched since we left the party. Amberdash absolutely has goons here. He knows that you used your magic with the amulet down. You thwarted him in the middle of his big campaign party. How do you not see the threat right in front of you?”
“Let him try!” she shouted right back at him. “I’m surrounded by wolves. I have the head of the Druids with me. Not to mention a triskel full of magic and my own power.”
“You seem to be a member short tonight.” Lorcan glanced around the room. “Where is Graves?”
Kierse’s face shuttered. What was left of her good time evaporated at the mention of his name. Graves wasn’t here.
Of course he wasn’t here.
She didn’t want to deal with this right now. She pushed past Lorcan as the negative side effects of the alcohol caught up to her all at once. Her head spun and her confident stride teetered. A Dreadlord nodded his head at her as she pushed through the back entrance and stumbled into the empty backside of the building.
But Lorcan followed.
Of course he did.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Kierse put her hands through her hair. “I can’t have one night to enjoy myself, can I?”
Lorcan stilled. “I didn’t mean to ruin your night.” He kicked a bottle nearby, and it shattered into the brick wall.
“Why are you doing this? Why must you follow me? Why must you…” She trailed off as she saw the fear on his face. “Why?”
“I don’t know what’s going on with you right now. Niamh wouldn’t tell me shit. But I know you’ve been in Brooklyn the last few days, and I worry, okay?”
“You don’t have to worry about me.”
“As if I could control it,” he said to his feet. He released a breath and looked up at her again. “I’m not coming on to you here. I’m standing in front of you just making sure you’re okay. Are you okay?”
His eyes were wide and the color of the lightest waves on an ocean break. So imploring, so real. None of the mocking tones or forced charisma. Just genuine fear in his voice and worry in his expression.
She wanted to fight.
She wanted to rage.
She wanted to be drunk and dance and not think.
But at that look, something in her chest broke, and instead of anger, there was only sadness. A deep, gnawing chasm that opened inside her.
Tears came to her eyes, and she turned away from him. She didn’t want to cry. She didn’t want to cry in front of him, of all people.
“Hey,” he said, soft and gentle. His hand went to her shoulder, and the relief in her made the tears come harder. “Hey, come here.”
He turned her into his arms, and she buried her face into his chest. The tears came as they had that first night when Gen had asked her the same question. Because the problem was that she was so far from okay. She was so very far from okay.
His arms were strong and welcoming as he held her, the bond a soft thrum between them like this was what they had been made for. Not all the other things that Lorcan had been forcing between them, but this reassurance that made everything else settle.