Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Efrem cleared his throat from the entrance to the indoor patio. Evie didn’t jump away. Neither did Dom, nor did he let her go, which made her stomach warm. He wasn’t embarrassed or trying to hide what was between them.
“Pardon the interruption, but a phone call came in from Ian Lanzo. Willem’s brother.” His gaze darted to Dom and then quickly away as if worried he might spontaneously combust if he stared too long.
“What?” Everything inside her readied for something awful. Ian never phoned her. “How did Ian find me? Us?” No one was supposed to know she still existed. They’d faked her death a year ago.
Dom put an arm around her, which she appreciated even though she could stand on her own.
A pained expression passed across Efrem’s face. “I asked the same. He said he’s always kept tabs on you. Willem wants to meet you to discuss a way he has found to get all of them free of the curse. Just you. Alone.”
She rolled her eyes. “That’s not an obvious setup. Willem likes his cushy life where the boys do all the work.”
“He warned if you don’t show up at this exact address—which is about an hour from here—in four hours, one of the boys will die.”
She stalked to the phone just inside on the table and dialed the direct line to her sons’ small flat. They weren’t on mission now. It rang five times before one of them answered.
“Hello, Shane. Please put Roman on, love,” she ordered.
After some shuffling, Roman answered. “Why the hell are you calling? This isn’t a secure line.”
“Are all of you accounted for? Is anyone gone?”
“Flynn and Jonas are on recon right now.” Roman sounded as if he just woke up. “Is there a problem?”
“Ian phoned me. Willem wants to meet with me in a few hours. He said Willem has a way to break the curse but only with my help. If I don’t meet with them, one of you is in danger of dying.”
“We can sort ourselves. Don’t meet him.”
She didn’t reply.
“Swear to me,” Roman insisted. “You won’t meet with him. If he has info on a way out, he needs to tell us.”
“I’m going to find out what he’s up to.”
“I’m going with you then.”
“It’ll take you too long for you to get here. Maybe it’s time he and I face off.”
“He’s itching to get a female lycan. I’m not sure why, but I suspect he wants to give the Crown more little lycans for them to train.”
“I’m too old to have more children, right?” They both knew it was a lie. “I’ve got this. I want you three to stay there. I’ll phone after we meet.”
“You can’t do this.” Roman released a rough hiss of a sigh. “Damn it, you’re going. Kill him. Don’t hesitate. The asshat wrecked our lives.”
“It might come to that. Locate Flynn and Jonas. They’re your priority.”
She hung up.
“You’re not going,” Efrem said.
“You know it’s a setup.” Dom moved slowly into the room. Wrinkles formed between his eyebrows.
“What option do we have if he has Flynn or Jonas?” she asked Dom.
“I will tie you up and lock you in the basement until next year,” Efrem growled. “He will not help you escape.” He pointed at Dom.
She locked gazes with Dom. “I need this.”
“Okay.” Dom’s gaze didn’t waver from hers. “They won’t know I’m there.”
“No. You’re not going, Evie. Absolutely not,” Efrem said. “He’s out to capture or kill you.”
Her mind whirled with worry over Flynn and Jonas. The rapid rate of her heartbeat made her breathless. “You won’t let them hurt me.”
“Never, miri thagarni.” Dom’s lips lifted into a scary smile.
“Are you sure they won’t see you?”
“I can manipulate minds to make people see whatever I want them to see.”
“Have you done that with me?” She crossed her arms.
“Your mind isn’t easily influenced.” His eyes crinkled with humor.
“You tried?” Her cheeks scorched as anger flared.
“Of course I did. You’re so affected by me that you don’t fall for any alteration of my form. You almost always see me.”
“Almost?”
“There might’ve been a time or two when you didn’t.”
Her face scorched. “I’m going to find out what that snake wants.”
“Efrem, we need you there as well in order to sweep the perimeter,” Dom ordered. “Undoubtedly, he’ll bring humans to assist him. I need you to eliminate them.”
“Do you really need me there?” Efrem asked.
“No, but I figured you’d want a part in this.”
“You’re a scary fucker, you know that?” Efrem tucked his hands into his armpits. “I don’t think I like you.”
“I don’t care.”
“What’s the price of you doing this? Beings like you don’t do favors for free.” Efrem’s eyebrows pulled together.
“My price is Evie doesn’t do anything…”
She squinted a warning at him. If he dared say stupid or reckless, she’d slap him.
He continued, “Anything that takes too long in Willem’s presence. And Willem dies.”
“I’m going to do it.” She’d envisioned so many ways to end him over the past decades.
“If he hurts you, I can’t promise that.” Dom’s eyes darkened. “But I’ll agree for now.”
“What about the demon curse? Do you think it’s still on him? Is there a chance it might bounce back?”
“I won’t allow that. I know a lot more about those now.”
She nibbled on her lower lip. “You’re worried, aren’t you? Not about me. What do you see might happen?”
“I sense death. That’s why I’d prefer you to stay here.”
“Maybe it’s Willem’s death you see. What if you die?”
“I sense a lot of misery around this death. Evie…” He waited for her to look at him. “It could be Flynn or Jonas. They may already be gone.”
“No.” She shook her head. “I can’t… No one will die over this. If you think you’re at risk, then you will go home. I’ll deal with him.”
“That’s not how this is going to happen.” Dom compressed his lips.
“Why would you do this for me?”
His lips parted and his eyes turned that shade of pale blue that was her color, the one his eyes turned for her. Yet, he said nothing.
“Me too, Dom,” she whispered. “I want everyone back alive. I’ll be pissed if you get yourself killed or captured.”
Dom smirked in that irritating way. “Evie, you’ll do what you always do if I die. You’ll survive.”
But I’ll always crave you. You said that before you kissed me.
“It was the price. Was it worth it?” he whispered above her.
“Yes.”