Page 31 of Savage Rule

“It’s not for the alliance,” I cut her off. “It’s for me.Ineed to know where she is.”

Her gaze goes over me slowly as she tilts her head, her face full of suspicion. “Why?”

“I have reasons that have nothing to do with the alliance,” I say, hoping that reassures her.

“OMG, it was you!” She points to me with sudden excitement. “In New Orleans.”

“She told you?”

Pursing her lips, she asks, “Were you sent to kill her?”

“I was sent to get information from her. Then kill her,” I confess. “But I didn’t. I couldn’t.”

Relief seems to flood her and for the first time since she arrived, the scowl softens. She drops onto the sofa and runs a hand though her dark hair as she smiles. “She’s alive.”

“Yes.”

“So, since she’s alive, I’m guessing you didn’t get what you wanted from her.”

“That's one way of putting it,” I say sarcastically.

She scrutinizes me. “What am I missing?”

“Nothing.”

Obviously, she doesn’t believe me, because she continues to study me to the point it makes me uncomfortable. “You two like each other, don’t you?”

“Pfft. No, we don’t. Why, did she say something?”

“I haven’t talked to her in days.” Letting out a long breath, she sets down her sketchbook. “Besides, I'm fifteen, not stupid. Anyone can see it. What happened in New Orleans?”

“We fought.”

“Did you kiss too?”

My mouth draws up in a smile. I have a feeling a hint of honesty will go a long way with this kid. “Why do you think Ineed to talk to her. Left me all tied up after she kissed me.” Literally.

“Yes!” She pounds a fist through the air. “I knew it. After watching you two at my dad’s house, I knew you had a thing.”

“Will you please help me?” I practically beg.

She peers down at the drawing of Rage/Scarlet. “It would be betraying her.”

“Maze, if the alliance finds her first, she won’t stand a chance.”

“You want to help her?”

I don’t want to lie, but the truth is too complicated. “Maybe. First, she and I have to talk about things that went down in New Orleans.”

“Like kissing.”

I nod, banking on her romantic notion of what Scarlet and I could be. “Tell me how to reach her.”

“You won’t hurt her?”

“I swear it on my mother’s grave,” I say, lifting two fingers like a cub scout would. Since I don’t know where my mother is buried, nor was I ever a cub scout, I’m not sure it counts.

I don’t envy the mental struggle she’s going through as she debates her next option.

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