Page 129 of Priest and his Anarchist

Without the guidance of streetlights, the trip to Halen’s bend is dangerous even for the most experienced drivers, but less than five minutes of winded bends, the headlights of a dozen cars light up the cliff.

My tail end swings around when I tear up the brake, coming to a stop.

How many times had I wished for this moment, with her sitting beside me like this. I’d fought for years to have her back, and now that I do, the thought of her touching me has my skincrawling. I had Luna holed up in my house for three years, hoping to get this out of her. Begging for her to switch. To drop. To fall and snap.

The Hunt was created for her. Every step I took was for the girl sitting beside me in this moment, but all I can find myself wanting now that she is here, is to never see her again.

My finger traces my upper lip, lost in my thoughts.

Halen laughs with War, snuggling beneath his arm. She peers up at him with a look I’ve only ever seen once before. Maybe she will sit and play wife. Maybe that’s the dumb shit love does to you.

Maybe that’s something I’ll never know. Or maybe that’s something I’m going to make sure I never know.

“Do they know that she’s gone forever? Or are they still hoping she resides deep within me?”

The grip I have on my steering wheel tightens. “They know what I want them to know.”

“And what is that?” Her hand lands on my upper thigh. Sliding her way up, her fingertips graze the outline of my dick. “They do know that you love me, right? That you never felt anything for Luna and that you only showed her the gentle side of you, let her fuck you, to bring me back.”

The steps I take from here on need to be carefully placed. “They know what I want them to know.”

“And now what?” she asks, repeating my tone.

Hiding behind the curtain of straightened hair, her makeup and eyeliner is darker than usual. With plump red lips to match her fingernails. It didn’t take her long at all to transform into the monster that she is. “This was the plan. You wanted me here, so what are you going to do?”

When I don’t answer her right away, she finally pulls her eyes away from the people outside and comes back to me.

I smirk. “Hunt.”

Her head rests against the back of the chair. “You know you don’t have to. I’m here for good.” Her fingers flex around my thigh. “I promise you she’s not coming back.” She turns my face to hers with the grip around my chin. “Have I ever lied to you?” Her thumb grazes the rim of my bottom lip. “Have I everkeptsecrets?”

“Are you suggesting I have?” My brow curves upward.

Laughter bubbles from her chest when she forces me away, flipping the mirror down from the top and fixing her makeup. “Of course not. But I still don’t understand why we have to do this—” She gestures out to the cars in front. Halen, Stella, River—who has been awfully quiet—War, Vaden, Deacon.

Not a single King is missed tonight.

“Because the girls want to see a Hunt.” I reach forward and push her door open. “Get out.”

Chapter Thirty-One

priest

past

Smoke fills my lungs as I inhale the familiar herb, handing it back to War. “There a reason why you’re looking a little more like death than usual?” War is one of my best friends, but he isn’t my closest.

My eyes move to Vaden even though my answer is to War. “Nothing more than usual.”

Vaden clucks his tongue. “You’re evil.”

I shrug, squashing my cigarette with my boot. I didn’t have to look over my shoulder to know that she was behind me with her date.

Her date that she never asked a single question about on why he’s here or who he is. I can feel her. The way her eyes move over the back of my neck. Everyone knew early on what Luna lived with, except for Luna herself. It’s why our fathers spent so much time with her, why my sister hated her, and why I found myself obsessed with her.

Madness and all, Luna is who she is. Soft, demure, gentle. Her, on the other hand, well. She isn’t at all any of those things.

“We better get back inside before your mom decides to punish us by doing something human-like, like I don’t know—” War’s eyes glass. “Taking Halen shopping.”

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