Page 37 of Nest Of Lies

I sniffle and swipe at the tears.

Zaden looks at me and closes his eyes in defeat. “You can’t come home, Ran.”

Ranger seems to understand in an instant. “Really?”

I have no idea what they’re talking about.

“There’s no other way.”

He nods, but he doesn’t look upset as he turns his eyes on me.

“What’s going on? What do you mean, he can’t go home?”

Ianto shifts his attention to me. “Ranger and I are going to need to stay here for a few days until he’s feeling better. Is that okay with you?”

I sit up and nod. “That’s fine. Are you sure?” I ask nervously. I’ve never had people stay here before, I mean, other than my cousins.

Mills reaches out and takes my hand. “No one is going to hurt you, Lia. We just need to keep Ranger hidden until he’s no longer vulnerable.”

I jerk my head in a nod. “Okay.”

Valen picks me up. I wrap my arms and legs around him as he carries me out of the room and back down to the kitchen, setting me on the island.

“I’m not going to be here, but I’m just there. You ring this number, and I will be over. You do not do anything that puts your safety at risk. The first thing you do is call if anyone arrives. Lia, I’m not joking here. The people who hurt Ranger might come back, so I want you to take all the precautions. This is a really dangerous situation.”

I stare at him and nod.

“I need words, baby girl.”

“I hear you, Valen.”

“Good. Now, what happens when you call this number?”

“You come.”

“I come guns blazing, ready to kill anything that moves,” Valen says into my mouth.

I’m frozen, his breath in my lungs. A strange heat arrows through me, and I lean forward, closing the distance, desperately needing to taste him. He tastes of rain, those long rains in the middle of winter. I shudder and slip my tongue into his mouth.

“Lia,” he moans and kisses me hard, taking control before he drags himself away from me.

I pant, staring at him. The heat is an inferno inside me, turning my body languid and heavy.

He frowns and sniffs the air.

“What?” Zaden growls when he walks in. He looks between us but decides not to comment.

“I smelled marshmallows. It was strange.” Valen looks at me, and his dark eyes burn into me like he’s trying to discern some deep mystery. But it’s all I can do to catch my breath.

It’s all I can do just to stay where I am because, right now, I want to throw myself at the alpha and rub up and down him like a cat in heat until he smells like me.

Until everyone knows he’s mine.

But that’s just weird…right?

I shake it off and, before long, the strange feelings fade, and I’m back to worrying about Ranger.

“We’ve got this,” I confirm to Zaden, Valen, and Mills.

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