Page 77 of His Whispered Witch

Asher held up his hands. “And the kids? You would risk their lives?”

Malcolm stepped toward him, but Quinn put a single hand on his forearm, and he stopped. “Maybe we should…” She nodded to the exit.

“So you’re just not gonna talk to me?” Asher shouted as they headed away.

The other women got up as well, filing out of the kitchen in a rush.

He turned to see Penn sitting at the table.

“No,” he said quietly.

“What happens if we don’t do this?” she asked. “The truth, Asher.”

He wanted to hug her. He wanted to take her in his arms and forget the world, but that was last night, and now it was morning.

“Nothing is certain.”

“What happens to you if we don’t do this?” she asked, undeterred. She got up and came toward him, but didn’t touch him, and he didn’t reach out. “Tell me you’re going to be fine. Tell me this isn’t a problem. Tell me you can live your life white knuckling every second.”

He opened his mouth to do just that, but he’d never been able to lie to her.

“I have you.”

“Fated mates?”

“Yes.”

“But neither fate nor love will fix this, will they?”

He could not keep from touching her. He wrapped her in his arms and rested his head against hers. “No.”

“You have to let me help you. I can help you. We can help you. Me and your family.”

Reluctantly, he pulled back. “You have to let it go.” He took a deep breath and, though it was breaking his heart, he added, “And I can’t stay.”

“What?”

“I’m sorry I dragged you across the country to a new place, but they’ll take care of you. They’ll love you forever.”

“I don’t need them. I need you!”

“I’ll hold out as long as I can. There’s a place I’m safe until Malcolm has to do what he’s been delaying for years.”

“Kill you. You lose control, and he kills you.”

He winced.

“Why won’t you fight?” she demanded.

“I would fight to the end of the Earth for you and me. But those idiots love me just enough to try this, and I cannot let them do that.”

“No.”

“I would risk anything except them. I have to go.”

“You don’t. We could have years.”

“I will not do that to you.”

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