Page 63 of Bait Wolf
“Is that why you couldn’t come get me?”
I shook my head, tilting her chin so that she met my gaze with wide eyes that were suddenly glassy.
“No, love,” I said. “Ember would never have kept me from you. He wanted to be a family with meandyou.”
“Really?” she asked, hesitantly. “But where is he?”
“He left so that I could get you back.”
She fell silent for a moment, a frown pulling her brows together before the thoughtful expression morphed into a smile.
“Well, I’m here now, so he can come back!”
Despite myself, I smiled.
“You’re right,” I said.
I stroked her hair back.
“Can you tell him to come back now?” she insisted.
“I’ll go get him in the morning,” I promised.
She smiled.
I was beyond grateful that somehow, she really had been treated alright. She seemed to be her usual self. There was no sign of trauma in her behavior. I was going to get every last detail about her time with her kidnappers before long, with the help of a therapist if necessary, but for now I could rest easy.
Luckily, it didn’t take long after that for her eyes to droop and her body to go slack with sleep.
I carried her up to her bedroom and carefully tucked her in. God, I’d missed the simple things so much. There was nothing like almost losing someone to make you appreciate every little detail. The way her face relaxed with sleep, wrapping the thick blanket around her small form, the soft sounds of her breathing…
My heart could barely take how happy I was to have her back.
Once I found Ember and had him here, safe and warm and loved, I couldn’t imagine that I would ever want anything else in life.
ChapterTwenty-One
Ember
The cold was an unpleasant familiarity.
It was the later part of spring, the chill of winter lingering, but a long time ago I had noticed that even in the heat of summer, being on the streets made you cold inside. It was psychological, I guessed, but either way, here I was again, and I was freezing.
I’d taken the new clothes that I had been wearing plus one of Coal’s coats from the closet. I hoped he wouldn’t mind. I hadn’t been able to resist and I was glad for that now, because the oversized jacket felt almost like a blanket. Coal’s scent was strong on it too. It was so comforting. I pulled the hood up and breathed him in, even though it made my heart ache.
It was going to rain later. The afternoon sun had risen, casting a gray light over the streets that wasn’t much better than the dark of night. At least in the darkness I could blend into the shadows.
Today, my first day back out here in so long, I felt like I was on display.
I tried to ignore the feeling, taking a seat on a bench across from the Belfort Hotel, where I had spent years living off and on. More off than on. The place was just as ratty as ever.
I didn’t want to have to check in tonight.
In my dream world, I would find Asha today, before nightfall. I would run home to tell Coal and by this evening, we would all be together. Everything would be perfect.
But if I didn’t find her today, I would stay in the Belfort for a couple of nights, I decided. Just a long enough to stay warm and gather money.
A laugh burst from my lips.
