Page 27 of Mated to the Enemy
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“Maybe not your smartest of moments there, Hanes,” she muttered, berating herself over the genius idea to leave without asking for a lift.
Of course, if I’d had any idea their driveway was longer than most city streets, I would have approached it differently.
Her journey from the gates to the House itself when she’d arrived was mostly a nondescript blur filled with nothing but images of Klaue’s head as she’d looked up at him. It was impossible for her to judge time or distance then. Now, however, she was learning first hand that the Ursaslovedtheir privacy.
Even the drive up to Moonshadow Manor wasn’t this long, though it wasn’t exactly short either. Not that driving was an option. Klaue had never come out and said it, but she was fairly positive the Hummer she’d stolen from Canis was either destroyed, or left behind for the werewolves to take back with them.
You should have just asked Klaue for a ride, the situation be damned.
It was too late forshould haveorwould have, and Jessica knew that Klaue might have denied her request anyway. It was easy in hindsight to look back and say she would have had the courage to ask him, but in the moment, it was very different indeed. Besides, the whole point of her leaving was to stop putting anyone else in harm’s way to protect her. Zoe had already done that for her, and that was one person too many. It was time Jessica started taking responsibility for her own actions.
Zoe was the first step. After she’d cleared the property and found a rideawayfrom Plymouth Falls, she would need to search out a payphone and find out if Zoe was still alive. From there, she would have to stay one step ahead of whoever Lorran sent after her, including the mage, all while figuring out a way to rescue Zoe.
It was ambitious, and she understood the odds of success were slim. She was just a normal human after all, without any special powers or abilities. But this was her baby sister, and she wasn’t going to fail her. This was the best way. Nobody else would be hurt doing this. Jessica would risk her own life. She wasn’t about to risk anyone else’s. Not again.
Of course, if you just told Klaue what was going on, then he might be inclined to help you.
“Which would bring him into harm’s way, which is exactly what I’m trying to avoid,” she growled, irritated that she couldn’t keep herself in line with the plan. Why did Klaue have to keep popping back up into her brain? If it wasn’t his hard muscles, it was his laugh, or his smile. It was always something.
If you go back, Klaue risks being seen with you, being targeted because of you. They might hurt him. Because of you.
She didn’t like the idea of him being hurt. It bothered her a lot more than she anticipated, helping Jessica to firmly put the idea of going back there in the rear view mirror. She was done with House Ursa and ready to head out on her own.
The distant drone of a car engine reached her ears. A few moments later, she was able to pinpoint the location as coming from behind her. Jessica smiled, turned around and started walking backward toward the gate, thumb stuck out to the side. Hopefully, whoever it was, they would help her out with a ride.
The black SUV slowed down as it approached, then went past her before coming to a halt. The windows were tinted, but she could see a large figure at the wheel.
“Yes!” she said with a little fist pump, hurrying toward the passenger door.
Before she could get there though, she heard the driver’s door open and close, and a second later, Klaue came walking around the front of the vehicle.
“What do you want?” she asked, realizing her odds of getting a lift had just vanished. Sighing in frustration, she started walking again, forcing him to walk as well if he wanted to talk.
“I want to help.”
Jessica blinked. “What? You want to help? How are you going to do that?”
Klaue’s longer steps brought him to her side with ease. He was walking a little closer to her than she wanted, but Jessica was already at the side of the road. If she moved over any more, she’d be walking on the uneven grass.
“I don’t know yet,” he confessed, answering her question. “But I’m going to help, I know that much.”
“That’s very descriptive,” she said drily, still looking straight ahead, not slowing. “But do you have a plan?”
“No,” he admitted. “Not a complete one.”
“How complete is it?”
“I have the first step?” he said sheepishly.
Jessica sighed. ‘Okay, well, let’s hear that at least.”
“Step one is convincing you to come back,” he said immediately, without hesitating or needing to think.
“Can’t do that,” she told him as the road curved slightly to the left, forcing her to turn into him to keep from walking off the paved surface.
“Why the heck not?” he ground out.
