dropped even lower as he looked over toward the window. “I hit him yesterday.”
“You did what?”
He rubbed his knuckles, staring at his hand. “We both said things we shouldn’t have. It escalated.”
I pressed my hand to forehead. “God, Adam. Even if we found a way to keep Nero away, I can’t stay here and singlehandedly destroy your relationship with your family. I can’t. I won’t.”
He got up and wrapped his arms around me. “It wasn’t just you. I lied to him, Lana. We were both upset and only part of it had anything to do with you. I don’t know if my Pack will ever come around, but we don’t have to worry about it today.” He pulled back and I looked up at him. “Why don’t you get the plane tickets to San Antonio, and I’ll go back to get the ranch taken care of.”
“All right.” I nodded. “But no more socking your brother. I don’t care what he says.”
He kissed my forehead. “Deal.”
“We should leave right away.” I grabbed my laptop and sat on the bed. “It’s only a matter of time before Nero sends another jaguar to finish Sebastian’s job.”
“I’ll be back in an hour. I just have to be sure Luke knows the plan and has everything he needs for me to be gone for a few days.” He got up and started dressing again. I watched him pull his shirt on and step into his jeans, his muscles rippling, taut with power. He yanked on his work boots and crossed to the mirror to comb his hair. He looked like the dangerous Adam I’d met that first night. My heart thumped in agreement.
His green eyes cut over to where I sat on the bed. In one stride he was next to me, his hand cradling my head as he kissed me again, urgent and hard. He drew back, and his shoulders looked heavy under the weight of his thoughts.
His voice was low and sparked with intensity. “Stay here, okay? If we want a head start in Texas, Sebastian can’t know we’re leaving.”
“I’ll get the tickets from my laptop, no reason for me to leave.”
His gaze locked on mine. “Be safe.”
“You too.”
He nodded and turned to leave. As he opened the door, he glanced back over his shoulder. “We’ll figure this out.”
Adam didn’t wait for a response, and I was left sitting on the hotel bed staring at the door. I got up to engage the deadbolt, which the hotel staff must’ve fixed during housekeeping. How would we ever make our relationship work? This was all more than I bargained for, but I wanted it. More than I’d ever wanted anything. I started to smile and shook my head.
With a sigh, I yanked my shirt off over my head and went to the bathroom for a quick shower. It was going to be a long day.
Chapter Twenty-Four
I gripped the steering wheel so tight that my hands ached. When I glanced down at my bruised knuckles on my right hand, part of me still couldn’t believe I’d punched Aren. True, he had been a total asshole, but it hadn’t been the first time. However, it was the first time I ever clocked him for it.
My gut clenched and I looked back out at the highway in front of me. If I had stayed out of the Hot Rod Cafe, maybe I could have avoided all of this.
But I knew I’d do it all over again. In a heartbeat.
The corner of my mouth curved up in a crooked smile. I definitely had it bad. Was love supposed to make you this insane? I felt like I was on a roller coaster. One moment I was holding her in my arms and the rest of the world faded away, the next I was lying to my family and punching my twin brother in the nose. I’d never felt such depth of emotion in my entire life. I thought I’d known what passion was, but now I realized that until I sparred with Lana that first night, I never really had any clue.
So how could I make Aren understand?
When I pulled up to the ranch, Aren was sitting on the front porch. Apparently, I was going to get the chance to make him understand sooner than I’d realized. I parked the Jeep and got out. I wasn’t sure what to say. Aren’s face didn’t look black and blue, which was a relief. It took more than one punch to really mess up a werewolf. We healed pretty quickly.
Aren stood but kept his hands in his pockets instead of clasping forearms with me. “You didn’t come home.”
“I couldn’t leave Lana alone, and I couldn’t bring her here either so…” I shrugged. “I’ve gotta grab some clothes and call Luke. He’ll have to run the ranch for a few days while I’m in San Antonio.”
“Texas?” Aren’s eyes widened a little, and his hands pressed deeper into his pockets. “Please tell me you’re not going with her.”
“We have to go check something out down there. We’ll be back in a few days.”
“She’s luring you away from the Pack, you realize that, right?”
I shook my head. “Don’t start this with me, Aren. I don’t want to fight with you, but I’m not going to lie to you anymore either.”
“What are you going to tell the Pack? We’re already down one man, and we know there’s another jaguar in town besides the one you’re sleeping with.”
I ground my teeth, struggling to keep my rage in check. The last thing I needed was to hit Aren again. My twin was every bit as strong as I was, and I doubted he would walk away without a fight this time.
“The Pack will be fine. If I take Lana from here, Sebastian will leave too. It’s her he’s after, not us.”
“He’ll leave so he and Lana can ambush you in Texas while you’re away from the Pack.”
Jesus, he was pissing me off. I brushed past Aren and stormed into my house, but I could hear him following me.
“This is dangerous, Adam. It’s not a game. Gabe is dead.”
I spun on my heel to face him with an angry glare. “Do you honestly think I don’t know that? Gabe died in my arms, remember? Lana didn’t do it.”
“That doesn’t mean she didn’t have anything to do with it.”
I rolled my eyes. “Do you think I’m stupid? Is that what you think?”
“No, but I think this woman has you blinded.”
“You know what I think? I think you owe me a little more respect, and I think you should trust me. Lana is my mate. That’s not going to change. You can either learn to accept it, or stay the hell away from us.”
I walked down the hallway, my hands trembling with adrenaline. I grabbed a duffel bag from my closet and started tossing in jeans and T-shirts while my mind wrestled with torn allegiances. I didn’t have any good choices. Leaving my mate went against every wolf instinct, not to mention I just plain loved her. I’d never met another woman like Lana. But if I stayed with her, I’d be forced to leave the Pack.
After tossing in my shaving kit and assorted toiletries, I yanked the zipper closed and hauled the oversized bag over my shoulder. Aren was waiting in the living room. He stood up and my teeth ground together. None of this was fair. I always pictured that when we finally found our mates, we’d live close by, go on double dates, raise our sons together. But those dreams changed the day I realized my mate was a jaguar.
I kept my face expressionless as I approached my twin. “I’ll call Luke. I’d appreciate it if you kept an eye out for him just in case he has trouble with any of the horses or owners.”
Aren nodded. “We watch out for our own,” he said with a clipped bite to his words.
“Thanks.” I held my hand out toward my brother, not knowing if he’d take it. Aren clasped my forearm and tugged me into a firm embrace.
“Be well, Adam.”
I held my brother tight until I felt the tension in his back relax. I pulled back with a nod. “Thanks Aren. See you soon.”
I walked out and closed the door behind me.
