Page 193 of Blood and Ruin: The Complete Series

“Both of you go, and I—”

They both turn and glare at me, their shadow wolves pushing to the surface.

“Not fucking happening,” they say in tandem.

“I’ll be fine. Stay with her. I’ll call if I need backup,” Luka tells Jax.

They go into a stare-down, sharing silent communication like when they were younger. I still can’t figure out how they’re able to have a whole conversation in a couple of looks, but Jax eventually relents. Sighing, he nods his head.

“You better,” Jax tells him.

“Luka?”

Luka moves in front of me, taking my face in his hands. He leans down, resting his forehead against mine. Closing his eyes, he takes a deep breath.

“Imissedyou…so much.”

He swallows hard before pulling back. I catch the pained expression as it quickly flashes across his face. It’s gone before I know it, masked behind a tight smile.

“I missed you, too. All of you. When I thought—”

Luka stops me with a soft kiss to the lips. “Don’t think about it. We’re all alive, and when you’re back with us, we’re never letting you out of our sight.”

Giving him a small smile, I open my mouth to joke about not being able to keep me in sight all the time but stop when I see that he’s being completely serious.

He must see the thought run across my face because he narrows his eyes, yanking my body closer to his.

“Youwilllisten to us this time. If I have to tie you down and make sure you can’t think straight, I will.”

A shiver of excitement runs through me as shadows begin to cloud his eyes, stretching out to slide down his shoulders and arms.

“Promise?” I watch the shadows as they reach out to me, and the excitement turns into something else.

Luka’s eyes darken at my words. He reaches a hand out to me but pauses when he notices the shadows. Cursing to himself, he squeezes his eyes shut.

Clenching his jaw, he slowly draws them back until they’re completely gone. Reminding me of my new ability and leaving me to wonder if there is any connection with it. Maybe I also got an upgrade from the bond.

I make a note to ask him about it next time. When he doesn’t look so completely lost and conflicted.

After a moment, he opens his eyes, the shadows now gone, but left behind is a cloak of pain and powerlessness. Any excitement I had is now gone with it.

He goes to take a step away from me, but I grip his shirt.

“Tell me what’s wrong, Luka.”

“Nothing.” He flashes me one of his forced smiles, making me want to knock some sense into the idiot. He must see where my thoughts go, giving me a real smile this time. “You can kick my ass later. Right now, though, I have to go.”

He’s hiding something, something that’s making him worry. Maybe these attacks are a lot worse than they’re letting on.

“What about the attacks? You haven’t told me anything about them.”

Luka ignores my question, leaning in to give me another quick kiss. He leaves the taste of him on my lips, then steps back out of reach.

“Luka?!” I growl, reaching out for him again. Another real smile crosses his face just before he backs up and disappears.

“Damn it.” Turning to Jax, I find him leaning against the kitchen counter, wearing a relaxed smile, as if he hasn’t a care in the world.

I move closer to him, wanting answers. “Jax, tell me what’s going on.”

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