Page 78 of Fae Devoted
“But that would mean the American government is working with a Fae.”
“Or a Fae masquerading as a highly-skilled witch.”
“Glamour?” Johnnie sucked in a breath. The Fae’s ability to modify their characteristics was legendary. No Anwyll student had ever replicated the spell.
Jacob’s phone vibrated again, and he removed it from his cargos long enough to glance at the screen, then tucked it inside a pocket on his thigh without answering the text.
The silence stretched, and the heaviness in her chest spread, clinging to her lungs and throat like a climbing vine seeking purchase. The solid, comfortable quietness that was theirthingin the past was now tainted by the residual anger she couldn’t seem to expel no matter how much she wanted it gone.
“I never meant to hurt you, Jo.”
“But you’re not sorry for leaving me at the cabin?” she asked, using the heel of the scoop to flatten the balls into matching circles. “Is that what you’re saying?”
“I won’t apologize for keeping you safe.” His jaw tensed, and she noticed the scruff on his face was thicker than normal, his eyes bloodshot. “But I should have explained why I needed you to stay behind.”
“Yes, you should have,” she said, shoring her defenses against the sincerity in his voice, the weariness in his face, andthe longing riding the bond. He hadn’t truly apologized yet. “Did you think I wouldn’t listen to your concerns?”
“You’re here, aren’t you?”
“What does that mean?” She chucked the spoon into the sink, scowling at the unbaked cookies which looked more like eggs than uniform rings.
“You talked me into bringing you to Michigan against my better judgment.” He gripped the edge of the island, his hands braced wide apart as he leaned forward. “And look what happened.”
“You didn’t get caught in another príoh’s territory?” she countered, pulling her gaze from the tanned skin stretching over the carved muscles in his arms. She couldn’t think about how sexy he was when she had a point to make.
“Jo—”
“We got a solid lead on Jeremiahandfound out about Charlotte because I talked to DuPont and his consort, something you couldn’t do,” she bulldozed on, transferring the misshapen cookies to the pre-heated lower oven. “I also discovered the facility might be responsible for the missing Glaofin.” It was utterly beside the point the latter wouldn’t have occurred if he hadn’t left without her.
“Rogues marked by the Fae attacked us,” he barked, the vein in his forehead throbbing.
“And we defeated them,” she said, lifting her chin. Although they learned belatedly DuPont never had the chance to question the three survivors; the branded Dádhe chose to rip out their hearts rather than be taken by the patriarch’s people.
“They could have hurt you.”
“But they didn’t.”
“Dammit, Jo.” His voice was hoarse, his expression tortured. “You could have been killed.”
“I’m fine.” She lost some of her righteous indignation as a twinge of guilt tweaked her conscience. Johnniehadpractically bullied him into letting her help find Jeremiah. “You still shouldn’t have left without discussing it with me first.”
“Maybe not, but I wasn’t willing to risk being talked into another of your harebrained schemes if you refused to listen to reason.”
“Harebrained?” she all but shouted. Her plans were brilliant and always worked out in the end. Well,almostalways. There was no way she could have predicted the vampire attack. “I’ll have you know—”
“Lieutenant Tucker?” Ethan Hall poked his head inside the kitchen doorway.
“What?” Jacob snarled, not looking away.
“I’m sorry, Lieutenant, the commander asked me to let you know the meeting with the king is starting soon.” The megawatt smile females from eighteen to eight-hundred clamored for every weekend at Chess was nowhere in sight as he stepped inside the tension-filled room. “You weren’t answering your phone, and I figured I might find you here.”
“Hello, Ethan.” Johnnie addressed the handsome witch without glancing at him either, holding her future mate’s glower with an equal level of stubbornness. Jacob’s dominance pulsed around him like a second skin. And though the bond radiated his exasperation, the Clan beta kept his powerful aura contained when he could have easily forced her submission with a slightpush.
“Hey Johnnie, I think your…” Ethan began.
“I’ll be there in a minute,” Jacob cut him off.
Johnnie had no idea why the Anwyll dancer accompanied the queen to a meeting with the king. And even though her curiosity was killing her, she was too mule-headed to ask Jacob. She made a mental note to question Samuel instead.
