Page 129 of Piece You Saved

Nearly a minute later, he releases a sigh, uncrosses his arms from his chest, and sweeps his eyes over the table.

“Kade, I need you and Detective Morgan to go check out the bridge. See if there’s anywhere on it where we can set up an ambush. It’s a long shot, but it’s worth checking out. Maybe you’ll see more on the ground than we can on the map.”

Kade is frowning before Dariel finishes speaking. Dariel’s expression hardens. “I wasn’t asking. We need something to surprise Rylan, and you’ve always been good at surprises.”

A little of the irritation bleeds from Kade’s eyes. “Fair enough. And the reason I need the cop for this outing?”

“You’re good at thinking outside of the box. I need someone good at thinking inside of it,” Dariel says.

“And me?” Aden asks.

Dariel shakes his head. “I need you here at the house.” No need to ask why. A new shifter is a danger to himself and others. Aden is learning control, but he’s not there yet. “You and Saige can spend today shooting.”

“And the doctor?” Kade’s arms tighten around Saige as his eyes narrow on me.

I smile. “I wouldn’t mind learning to shoot as well.”

Dariel’s gaze moves from me to Kade. Maybe he sees the fight brewing in Kade’s eyes because he shakes his head and says, “No. I need you with me, Harley. We’re going over maps of the bridge.”

CHAPTER 34

DARIEL

Isit back in my chair, wood squeaking as I meet Harley’s blue-green eyes. For now, I say nothing, waiting for the front door to click closed, and for Kade and Detective Morgan to leave.

“You like her,” I say.

His lips part.

I lean toward him, not breaking our stare. “You lied to me at the hospital. You’re not lying now. The truth. Now.”

The smile fades. “I do,” he quietly admits.

“And you’re rubbing it in Kade’s face.” This is no question but a statement. Fact.

“Maybe a little,” he concedes with a half-shrug.

I lift my brow. “A little?”

He’s been watching over Saige. I know, because I heard him drive away from the house, and his car stopped seconds later. Wherever he went, it wasn’t home. He didn’t leave this street, and I doubt he got an hour of sleep with lines of exhaustion creasing his brow.

“Kade is easy to provoke.” He smiles.

I stifle my amusement. Kade is definitely getting payback for all the years he spent provoking me.

As I silently study Harley across the table, Saige’s shooting practice starts up outside. “He’ll kill you.”

“I can look out for myself.” His eyes flash from amiable man to predatory wolf. “So he won’t find it as easy as he seems to think.”

I slowly nod, recalling his killing fury at Saige’s revelation that Nathan had stood over her hospital bed. I understand his rage because he wasn’t alone in feeling it. “I got that. What exactly do you want?”

A faint smile curls one corner of his lips.

“My patience isn’t what it was, so if I were you...Don’t,” I cut in before he can say one word.

After a searching look, he says, “Okay. I want to be a part of her life.”

“Because?” I’ve seen the way he looks at her, and I’ve seen the way she looks at him. What I want is to hear him say it.

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