Page 25 of Wicked Pursuit

“Do you?” Her voice sharpens. This isn’t the suffocatingly soft check-in that I expected, and I’m almost relieved that this is going to turn into a fight. I drop onto the bed, feeling like I’m sixteen years old again and in trouble for sneaking a bottle from the wine cellar. Mom narrows her eyes. “You are a Belmonte. Your actions have consequences for more than just you. If that man belonged to anyone but Hook, his death could have been enough to tip us into a conflict with another territory.”

I snort. “There hasn’t been war in decades.”

“Exactly,” she snaps. “Because people have worked hard to make that the truth. They didn’t do it by being selfish and reckless.”

I should feel guilty. IknowI should. But she’s standing here and judging me when I know for a fact she did some crazy shit when she was my age. And warwasan ongoing threat at that time. “That’s rich coming from you.”

“I see there’s no reasoning with you right now.” Mom shakes her head. “We’ll talk in the morning. And Idomean it when I say we’re going to talk, Ruby. You’re going to explain what the hell is going on with you.” She turns and walks out of the room.

The second I don’t have her strong personality to crash against, I wilt. She’s right. I’m being reckless and selfish. I’m not just a normal person who will only hurt myself with my actions. If I manage to single-handedly drag Carver City into another war...

Well, not single-handedly. Wolf played his part too.

With that in mind, I grab my purse and dig through it to find my phone.

What the fuck was that, Wolf?

He doesn’t make me wait long.

Wolf

You know what, baby.

I hate the way heat lances me at those four little words. Idoknow what. I’ve been playing with fire, and I’m too much of a damn fool to stop.

You can’t just go around killing people like that.

Wolf

Are you mad I slit his throat... or that you would do it all over again because you like how you came hard and messy all over my fingers?

I flush and almost throw my phone across the room. Damn him. No one else has ever tapped into this part of me. I didn’t evenknowI had the potential for this messiness inside me. This all might have started with me stepping off the path set out for me, but I had no way of knowing I’d end up lost in the woods with no way out.

Or that I might not want a way out.

Wolf doesn’t wait for a response this time.

Wolf

Or maybe it’s that you can’t wait to do it again.

Ding ding ding, we have a winner.I hate myself more than a little for that truth. But not enough to stop.

But now that I’m standing here, my blood buzzing with shame and anger, I can’t help wondering if my little stunt the other night put two more people in danger. I hold my breath as I text Zayne.

What are you doing?

He responds immediately.

Zayne

Is this a ‘you up’ text? Maybe Michelle is right and I SHOULD be worried about you.

I glare at my phone even as relief makes me light-headed. That’s Zayne, all right.

Just making sure you’re still alive and having expired from wanting Tatiana.

Zayne

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