Page 35 of Wed Or Dead

Curtis narrowed his gaze on her. “You shot him. Twice.”

True. Was she supposed to be sorry for that? “He put his gun to my head and pulled the trigger. He’s a sick SOB that needs to be put down.”

Curtis glanced away. “He’s the reason I’m still alive.”

Yes, well, she’d thought the same thing, not too long ago. Then she’d learned the terrible truth. “He’s lying to you. To us all! Please, Curtis, just go and check his wounds.” Before Lyle healed himself.

Curtis glanced back at her. His eyes were confused. Angry. “He said for me to guard you.”

She grabbed the bars and jerked on them. “Where am I supposed to go? I’m in a cell!” Kayla all but screamed at him. “Just go look at Lyle. His neck and his hands. The silver burned him. He’s a wolf, I swear!”

A muscle jerked along Curtis’s jaw. Then he slowly shook his head. “Lyle’s the one who gave the order—he wants you to stay alive. If he’d really tried to kill you, then why would he do that?”

So that he could use her later. But that wasn’t going to happen. Her time being bait was over. Didn’t Lyle get that? Gage was gone. He knew the full deal about her—about all the hunters. He’d escaped the grounds, and he wasn’t coming back. Not for her.

Not for anything.

“I’ve fought with you,” she told Curtis and knew that desperation threaded through her words. “Stood by your side. Covered your back. And I’ve never lied to you.” She just had to make him listen. “Please, check his wounds. All you have to do is look at his hands and neck!”

The holding room door opened. Lyle walked in, limping heavily Her gaze immediately went to his neck and—healed.No burns.

Bastard. Damn quick-healing wolf.

Lyle smiled at her, then winced, lifting his hand to his shoulder. She could see the bandages clearly. What a load of bull. If his burns had healed, then that bullet wound had healed, too. He was just playing a game in front of Curtis and the other hunters.

“Boss, you okay?” Curtis asked at once.

Kayla rolled her eyes. “Of course, he is. The guy’s a wolf, he can heal from almost anything.”

“Is she still screaming that story about me being an animal?” Lyle’s steps were slow, as if he were hurt. He kept dragging his “injured” leg. Now that she knew the truth about him, Lyle’s acting skills were pretty impressive. He’d sure fooled her for years.

Why can’t anyone see through the lies? Why couldn’t I?

Maybe people just saw what they wanted to see. No, what theyneededto see?

And what had she needed to see? A hero. A man who’d saved her from the wolves. A friend who wanted to protect her and make her stronger.

Not a lying killer who’d just wanted to use her.

“Someone had to see your wounds,” she told him. “Not just the bullet wounds—the burn wounds from the silver.” There’d been too many other hunters in that holding room.Someonewould have noticed his burns. “All your lies are about to come out.”

Curtis glanced nervously between them. “Boss…I, uh, I thought I saw some blisters on you earlier.”

“She’d been punching me. My skin was red from her attack.” Lyle gave a little shrug with his “uninjured” shoulder. “I’ll probably bruise later.”

“Bullshit,” Kayla called.

Curtis shifted from one foot to the other. “I-I know the difference between blisters and punch marks.” He peered at Lyle’s neck again.Yes. He was getting suspicious.

“Pull back his bandage!” Kayla urged. This would do it. “Check out the bullet wound at his shoulder, because I bet it’s already healed, too.” Curtis was starting to believe her. This would work. She’d get out of there and together, she and Curtis could take Lyle down.

“You’re so desperate,” Lyle said, sighing, as a frown pulled down his mouth. “When did you become like this? Did Gage make you this way?”

If Lyle had been just a few feet closer to the cell, she would have attacked. But he wasn’t heading toward her. Instead, Lyle was closing the distance between him and Curtis.

“I don’t want you to doubt me,” Lyle told the hunter. He wasn’t wearing a shirt. Just a heavy white bandage around his shoulder. A loose pair of sweat pants. “If this is what it takes to prove the truth to you, then so be it.” His hands rose to the bandage.

Curtis nodded. He leaned forward. “I just need to know—Kayla’s always been so?—”

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