Page 42 of Forever Midnight

I step back, annoyed. “I’m allowed to go places without Midnight.”

Thorn tilts his head. “Yeah? Are you allowed to hunt without us? I thought you agreed to let us help?”

Squaring my shoulders, I jut my chin out in defiance. “So help then.”

“What do you think we’re doing?”

Eros drops from a building above, landing softly, his eyes wide and my eyes, well, I’m not sure if they just popped out of my head but it sure the fuck felt like it.

“Oh. Hey, Tru,” Eros says, casually.

“How did you—” I shake my head. Pretty sure I don’t want to know how he did that. “Nothing.”

“Midnight is worried sick,” Eros says with a smile that manages to be terrifying instead of comforting.

“I left a note.”

“Uh huh, a note that said, ‘be back soon.’ Would that work on you?”

Thorn chuckles. “Mortals.”

I pull my head back. “What?”

“Midnight will be here in a few moments,” Eros says, nudging Thorn with his arm.

“Is something going on?” I ask. “It’s weirdly quiet around here tonight.”

“We thought so too,” Eros says. “We didn’t find anything, so it must be an off night.”

I sense Midnight’s presence before I see him, his footfalls quickly approaching. As I turn around, Midnight rounds the corner, his trench coat billowing in the breeze, a stern expression on his face. As soon as he spots me, his features relax. He was worried about me. That’s kind of sweet.

Without words, he stomps toward me, grabs me around the waist and throws me over his shoulder like some kind of goddamn caveman. I hear Eros and Thorn snickering, but I can’t bring myself to look up at them.

“Midnight.” I say his name calmly.

“No,” is all he says in return.

That’s my cue to stay silent until we get home, which seems to happen much faster than it should. Midnight doesn’t set me down until we’re back in his living room. He paces in front of me, huffing breaths through his nose and dragging his hand through his hair.

“Why do you torture me?” he finally asks.

“Torture?”

Exhaling a slow breath, he shakes his shoulders out. “Tru, I thought we had an understanding.”

“We did. I mean, we do, but I just…” I pause, unable to hold back the defiant part of me. “You’re not my dad.”

Midnight scoffs. “Obviously not.”

I blink and he’s suddenly right in front of me. Damn, this guy moves fast.

“Apparently you don’t understand that I care about you and your safety. There are…threats out there. Threats you aren’t even aware of. You could’ve been hurt, Tru.”

Biting my bottom lip, I nod as tears cloud my eyes. Midnight brushes his thumb across my cheek.

“I’ve upset you.”

“No.” I shake my head. “You’re right. It was stupid. I just…I feel so helpless.”

---