Page 79 of The Piece You Stole

We’re prepared for most eventualities. All but one.

“Dariel might attack her,” I say, my eyes on the quiet stretch of road Rylan and his men will soon pull down. Twenty minutes ago, Dariel called to update us on the situation. The bomb threat had worked like a charm. The building was being emptied as he watched. And the icing on the cake, after hearing what would happen to his expensive bit of land if he didn’t show, Rylan’s threats to gut us were so extensive, they’d made Leandro decide it was time to find someplace else he’d rather be.

“He might not,” Aden clicks off the safety on his rifle and shifts a little to get as comfortable as a man can while holding a sniper rifle in a tree.

“But if he does…?” I prompt.

“I’m not shooting him, Kade,” Aden responds, not taking his eyes off the scope.

Aden turns the small black dial beside the rifle scope a quarter of an inch to the left. I’ve never cared what it is or does, but one day, long ago, when I’d gone to the shooting range with him, I’d leaned against the wall beside him, watching him blast hole after hole into the bullseye.

“I could teach you, if you want,” Aden had murmured, glancing at me.

Even though I knew Dariel would likely gut me for it, I blinked, and then I was peering out through my wolf’s sharper eyes. “You have your weapon. I have mine.” I smirked. “No need.”

He’d given me a long look. “Well, if you ever want to learn, I can show you. It’s not hard, just takes concentration.” A smile curved his lips. “Even you could do it.”

“Fuck off,” I’d snarled, but I’d been hiding a smile because that’s Aden. Whatever he learns that he thinks will help me or Dariel, he will always share it.

We’ve had the better part of today to prepare for tonight, to get a few hours of sleep, to eat, and to consider all the ways this plan could fall apart, so I don’t push Aden about what might happen if Dariel gets to Saige before I do. If I’m thinking it, Aden will be thinking it too.

“Why do you think he came back?” I ask, trying to ignore the ants crawling all over my ass. I could have waited until Rylan and his pack turned up before stripping, but that might cost Saige time she doesn’t have.

“Saige,” Aden replies without hesitation. “Why do you think?”

“You think he’s finally realized she’s ours?” I ask. “Or do you think he woke up one morning with a severe case of blue balls?”

I’m only half-joking.

Dariel has been living like a monk these last few years. If he’s fucked any woman since Mona died, I’d eat my arm.

“Dariel needs more than that,” Aden says, turning to give me a long look. “You know that as well as I do.”

I snort. “You two and your need to catchfeelingsbefore you fuck.”

He raises his eyebrow. “So you didn’t have feelings for Saige before you slept with her?”

I tear my gaze from him and go back to observing. “You know, you’re more fun when you’re drunk. Or hungover.”

“Since you asked, I don’t think he’s got blue balls, and if you’re honest with yourself, you don’t think it either.” His pause is thoughtful. “I think she reminded him that there’s a life outside of his office. A life he might want to rejoin at some point.”

I turn to study him. “And you think that’s going to be enough to stop him from taking a bite out of her?”

“What I think is that he stopped attacking when I told him Saige was gone. What I think is that something about her being in danger made him listen. Really listen. I think that’s important.”

“Did you notice he didn’t have his wolf in his eyes back at the house.?”

Aden raises an eyebrow. “When did you ever notice something I missed?”

“Fucking—” Engines roar toward us. I jerk my gaze back to the side road I should have been watching all along. It’s still empty, which means they’re still on the main road, but they’re moving fast. They’ll be within sight in seconds.

“Sounds like expensive sports cars. You think that’s them?” Aden asks, his right eye pressed flush to his rifle scope.

“That’s them.”

“And Dariel? Where is—”

“Here,” a low murmur comes from just below us.

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