Page 34 of Nick
Was it regret or fear that clawed at him?
Fear of losing himself to her again, of opening old wounds that had only just begun to heal?
So much for a mask of indifference, he thought wryly.
“Let’s just focus on getting Conall and Quinton back safely,” he said at last, avoiding the depth of her gaze.“We’ll deal with…everything else later.”
As he pressed down on the gas, sending the Jeep lurching forward, he couldn’t shake the feeling that they were hurtling toward something inevitable.
But for now, all he could do was move forward.
Right?
Chapter 15
HANNAH LYTTLE’S BLONDE PONYTAILswished against her back as she strode through the door of Dorothy’s Café, the bell above jingling an announcement of her arrival.
Her eyes immediately locked onto the corner booth where Nick sat with Sarah, his posture guarded and every muscle taut beneath his shirt.
Conall and Quinton sat across from them, their twin expressions unreadable.The air carried the muted scent of coffee, mingling with the undercurrent of wolf—her pack.
“Black coffee,” Hannah ordered without looking at the waitress, her gaze still fixed on the foursome.She leaned against the counter, but there was nothing relaxed about her.
What were they discussing that required such secrecy?
The presence of Conall and Quinton suggested pack business, perhaps something to do with the tensions stirring within the Sunburst Pack’s hierarchy.
The steam from the espresso machine hissed, breaking her concentration momentarily.She accepted the mug with a nod, letting the warmth seep into her palms.She sipped the liquid, allowing its heat to unfurl within her chest as she continued her surveillance.
Nick ran his fingers through his sandy brown hair.He caught Sarah’s gaze with a look that held a mix of emotions: longing, betrayal, caution.
It was the look of a man ensnared by conflicting desires, trapped between past love and present wariness.
Was there a weakness there she could exploit?
Hannah’s thoughts raced as she considered the possibilities.
If Nick was emotionally compromised, he might be more susceptible to manipulation.
She could use that to her advantage, gain the upper hand within the pack.
With Vincent.
But she needed more information, needed to know what cards they were holding close to their chests.
A low murmur of voices reached her ears, too soft for her to discern specific words, but the cadence suggested earnest discussion.It was maddening not to catch even a snippet of their conversation.
“Is everything okay?”the waitress asked, pulling Hannah out of her eavesdropping attempt.
“Perfect,” Hannah replied curtly, her attention snapping back to the group as they rose from the booth.Nick glanced back over his shoulder.Did he sense her scrutiny?
Hannah had to find out what was going on.
She slipped out of the café, watching from behind her dark sunglasses as Nick, Sarah, and the twins made their way to Sarah’s dusty blue Jeep parked at the curb.
“Where are you off to in such a hurry?”Hannah murmured to herself, a corner of her lip curling upward.
She waited until they pulled out before slipping into her own vehicle, a nondescript sedan that would blend easily with the other local traffic.Her fingers drummed on the steering wheel.She ignited the engine and eased onto the road, maintaining a careful distance.
