Page 23 of I Hate Myself for Loving You
Yet, one thing remained predominant in her mind and it wouldn’t let her go.
This situation also had another meaning.
A bigger meaning than she’d first thought.
Lassiter Adams was no Adams. Not of the werewolf kind anyway.
The liar.
You’re just as much a liar as he is. It’s not like you’ve told him all of the reasons why you so desperately want to save the Adams land.
But that didn’t make much of a difference now. Lassiter had the money it had cost to buy the land. It mattered little that he wasn’t kin.
And this letter. What did it mean? What did it say and why had it brought him here to this specific Adams-owned land?
The Adams name and whatever Lassiter wanted fit like two pieces of a puzzle.
They were tied together with some sort of significance and Avery had to find out what that was. She also had to tell the Adamses.
Cold now from the wind and her shift, Avery rose to make her way back to the house. On stiff legs, she ran a hand over her mussed hair.
“Avery?”
Her head whipped around. Startled, she faltered, tripping on a fallen branch.
Lassiter’s hand snaked out to catch her.
His vampire hand.
Where had he come from and how did he manage to always sneak up on her without her noticing?
“What are you doing out here?” he asked, keeping hold of her hand.
“What are you doing out here?” she volleyed back.
“Looking for a do—” He shook his head. “Never mind. Why are you out here? It’s cold.”
“I’m admiring the trashed landscape,” she snapped.
His sigh carried on the howl of the wind. It held exasperation. “Avery --”
“Don’t Avery me, Lassiter. You’re ruining this beautiful retreat for your own selfish purposes. So you can make a little money to put in your already fat bank account. Damn it, Lassiter, who the hell are you?” she yelled into his face. Vampire or not, she wasn’t afraid to voice her opinion.
As long as he wasn’t into biting. Those fangs had looked pretty damned sharp. Though, she had incisors too.
“I know you’re angry with me, Avery. But I need you to believe, it still isn’t what you think.”
No, no siree, it sure as Hell wasn’t what she thought anymore. She never in a millennium thought Lassiter was a vampire.
Looking down at her hand clasped in his own, Avery yanked it away. “So, why don’t you throw me a bone, Lassiter? What is it if it isn’t what I think?”
“Forget it.”
“I can’t forget it.”
“You’ll have to.”
“Exactly. Now we’re back to square one again. I have to go. I’m cold.”
