Page 42 of Primal Bonds

Jace nodded. He didn’t know the details, but he’d heard do Mar had gone into a bad place for a while where his best friend was a wine bottle. Jace didn’t judge; he’d been tempted a few times himself.

“I know, and I’ve thanked Valeria, too. But you’re Merry’s dad, a good one.”

Do Mar slanted him a fierce glance. “I love her like she’s my own daughter.”

“I know. I should’ve thanked you before this.”

“No thanks necessary. She is my joy.” The other man swallowed hard. “I want you to know she’s been under close observation. She will not be outside our wards without at least two guards as protection. So even if her grandfather’s ward fails, she is safe. This, I promise you.”

“That’s good to know.” It sucked, to know that his niece was safer at Rock Run than with him in Baltimore, but he’d made his peace with it. “You’ll keep me informed if anything changes?”

“Of course.”

After that, Jace should’ve gone back to Baltimore. He was tired and his wounds were starting to protest all the running around he was doing, but both he and his jaguar needed to make sure Evie was okay.

So Jace joined the sentry assigned to guard Evie and her brother. Suha was going to bite his head off, but if she had her way, he’d still be in bed.

The sentry reported that everything was quiet. “The woman went out for groceries—I heard her telling her brother—and the kid’s at the high school shooting hoops with his friends.” He jerked his chin in the direction of the schoolyard on the next block.

“I’ll look around anyway.” Jace took a stroll through town to satisfy himself there was no hint of the night fae or the mysterious earth fada. Everything seemed quiet, but he still wasn’t satisfied. Grace Harbor might not be big, but it had a population of over ten thousand—plenty big enough for a man to hide in. If something happened to Evie or her brother, he’d never forgive himself.

He waited with the sentry in the shadow of the warehouse across the alley until Evie pulled up in a rusty blue car. His chest rumbled in a purr, his jaguar happy just to be near her.

He watched as she gathered her groceries and headed up the back steps. She paused on the stoop to glance around, and his whole body snapped alert. Both man and cat wanted to go closer…to talk with her, fill his nostrils with her scent. Find out if her skin was as soft as it looked.

But it was best he stayed away. The Darktime had left him scarred, bitter. He’d lost too many people—his parents, his sister, good friends. Even his niece was being raised by another man. And he’d killed—because he’d had no choice. Those grim years were a part of him, however much he wanted to forget them.

He liked women, enjoyed the release of sex, but other than that, he walked alone—and he could count the number of people he trusted on one hand.

No, Evie wasn’t for him. He’d guard her, make sure he hadn’t accidentally dragged her into whatever had sparked the attack on him. Nothing more.

Because on top of everything else, he didn’t do humans, and he especially didn’t do humans who were part fae.

The sentry sent him a curious look and Jace forced himself to turn away. He faded further back into the shadows. He waited until Kyler was safely home, and then headed back to Baltimore.

But the next night he was back.

Chapter 14

Evie stopped her car on the pad behind her house and turned off the ignition. The ancient compact shuddered and then went ominously silent. She muttered something dark. The car wasn’t long for this world. Somehow she’d have to find the cash for a new one.

It was Saturday night, nine days since she’d found Jace bleeding in her backyard. Not for the first time, she wondered how he was doing—and then scowled and told herself he was fine, and probably back doing whatever it was he did.

She grabbed her backpack and got out of the car. The house was dark except for the light she’d left on over the back door. Kyler must still be at Ben’s house. At least she hoped that was where he was, because he hadn’t bothered to check in with her—again. He’d been pushing her all week, “forgetting” to check in and then coming home way after his curfew.

“School’s almost out,” he’d said. “All we’re doing is taking finals, and I’m allowed to go in late.”

“You’d do better on your tests if you had a good night sleep.”

“Relax,” he returned in a tone that had Evie tightening her jaw. “I’ve got practically a four-point average.” And he did, so what could she say?

Now she glanced at her phone—it was after midnight. He should be home, damn it. And he hadn’t left a message either.

She sighed and slung her backpack over one shoulder, flipping her keys so that the tips stuck out between her knuckles. If someone attacked her, she was going to be ready.

Evie was almost at the steps when her nape tingled in an eerie repeat of last Thursday. Someone was watching her. She gripped her keys and glanced around.

Across the alley, a pair of luminous green eyes stared at her, unblinking, from the shadows.

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